Read the selection from the section "The Italian
Renaissance in context."
The rich people of Florence showed off
their money by paying for artists and
thinkers. They were called patrons of
these artists, and made the city into the
cultural center of Europe,
Which phrase from the selection BEST helps the
reader understand the meaning of "patrons"?

The best phrase that helps the reader to understand the meaning of "patrons" is "the rich people of Florence".
During the period of Renaissance, the rich people of Florence contributed a huge part in the patronage of arts and ideas. They were called as patrons and have greatly enhanced the city into the cultural center of Europe.
One such group was the House of Medici who were mostly elitists and one of the richest families in Florence. They had immensely contributed in the upliftment of artists and thinkers in the city.