The
Renaissance began in northern and central Italy. Part of it was because
of the properity of Italian city-states. In Italy, growing towns demanded
self-rule and developed into city-states. Each city consited of a
powerful city and the surrounding towns and countryside. Italian
city-states conducted their own trade, collected their own taxes, and made
their own laws. Some city-states, such as Florence, were governed by an
elected council. During the Renaissance groups of guild members, called boards, often ruled Italian city-states.
Some wealthy families gained long-term control; city-states were ruled by a
single family, such as the Medicis
