This sounds like one of those opinion questions that's big in school. It is an exercise in critical thinking to show that you know what you're talking about rather than getting the right answer.
So no opinion will be given, I will give you the objective facts and you will make your own subjective answer.
The reason it was called the Renaissance, which is french for "Rebirth" is because of the radical and comprehensive changes that took place in the 15th and 16th century.
What caused these changes was the instability in the Byzantine Empire. Many intellectuals fled to Europe bringing all the knowledge they had of Byzantium. The Byzantines had kept the chain of knowledge going from Ancient Rome and while Europe was in the Dark Ages, the Byzantine Empire was still flourishing and intellectually minded.
So when all those Byzantine intellectuals showed up in Europe, they brought the knowledge of that Ancient Rome had, with them. Suddenly people started carving marble again, painting with realism, understanding such things as physics, hydraulics, thermodynamics.
Suddenly people wanted to learn, learn the ancient crafts, become better, smarter, more productive and happier with their lives. They no longer felt safe in the ignorance of the dark ages. And so, intellectualism occurred in Europe.
Leonardo da Vinci has often been called a "Renaissance Man" simply because he was a scientist and artist and an inventor. He had ideas and ideas were not always well liked, especially radical concepts like "flying machines" "human anatomy" and other things that were down right nature cheating and against good christian morals.
Occasionally, society has a Renaissance of it's own. Usually in regards to commercial products or political thought. Right now we are in the middle of a "Media Renaissance." Where before only movie studios and large television stations could produce shows, movies, and news segments. Now anyone who has a computer and a digital camera can be their own movie star, their own TV News Anchor, their own documentary maker or produce their own music video.
Why is that a Renaissance? a Rebirth? because 120 years ago, there were not movie studios, and the first one came about when someone decided to get a camera and make their own movies for other people to watch.
That's why it's a rebirth, it's going back to basics, saying "no we don't need this system we had 10 years ago, we are going to do this like they did 100 years ago, with no system, we're gonna fly by the seat of our pants and restart the industry our own way."
And that is why a renaissance is a rebirth.
