Which European group consisted of scholars, writers, and teachers who studied the humanities?

• A. Scholars
• B. Poets
• C. Philosophers
• D. Humanists

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is Renaissance humanism—the identification of a distinct European group made up of scholars, writers, and teachers who focused on the study of the humanities. Humanists organized around studying grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy, with a strong emphasis on returning to the texts of ancient Greece and Rome in their original languages. They believed education should form virtuous, well-informed citizens and thus taught these subjects in schools and universities, often producing grammars, histories, and editions of classical authors. This label—humanists—captures the blend of scholarly study, literary production, and instructional work that defined the movement, beyond the more generic roles of poets, philosophers, or scholars.