5.5.

5  Study: Reformation and State Consolidation Study Guide

World History Honors Sem 1 Name:  
Date:  

Use this study guide to keep track of the important concepts covered in this activity. If you need help
answering any of the questions, check with your instructor. Save these study guides for review when
preparing for quizzes and tests.

Write the definition to each of the key terms below.

Word Definition

constitutional monarchy A monarchy that must follow the laws of the nation, rather than
following only the decisions of the king or queen.

Desiderius Erasmus (1466 – 1536) A Dutch humanist, Catholic priest and theologian who
supported religious toleration. While he was critical of the abuses of
the Church and called for reform, he remained loyal to the pope and
advocated for change from within.

Elizabeth I (1533 – 1603) The queen of England and Ireland from 1558 until her
death. Sometimes called the "Virgin Queen," she refused to marry. She
tried to reduce religious conflict in Protestant England while
strengthening the British Empire by creating a strong, centralized
monarchy.

Henry VIII (1509 – 1547) A king of England who notably married several times.
To get around the Catholic Church's laws forbidding divorce, he
created the Church of England, which was outside papal authority.

Jan Hus (ca. 1369 – 1415) A Czech priest, philosopher, and early reformer of
the Roman Catholic Church. He was executed for speaking out against
the doctrines of the church.

John Calvin (1509 – 1564) A French Protestant theologian and central developer
of Calvinism, which stressed the power of God, the weaknesses of
humans, and the idea that whether a person goes to heaven is
determined before a person is born.

John of Leiden (ca. 1509 – 1536) A Dutch leader of the Anabaptist faith. Anabaptists
are Christians who believe that followers should be baptized as adults,
not as infants.

John Wycliffe (ca. 1320 – 1384) An English philosopher, theologian, and reformer
who is known as an early advocate for reformations to the Roman
Catholic Church. Among other things, Wycliffe was an early advocate
of translating the Bible into common languages, not just Latin./span>

Louis XIV (1638 – 1715) The king of France known as the Sun King. He was
noted for his long reign and his strong belief in the divine right of
kings. He created a strong centralized state, eliminated feudalism, and
turned France into the strongest power in Europe.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) A German monk who was disgusted with the corruption
in the Catholic Church, especially with the selling of indulgences. He
set out to reform Catholicism with his Ninety-Five Theses, but he
ended up creating a new sect called Lutheranism.

Peace of Westphalia A series of peace treaties signed in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years'
War between Catholic and Protestant countries in Europe, as well as
the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic.

Protestant Reformation (ca. 1600 – ca. 1700) A movement in Europe that aimed to reform
 Roman Catholicism and resulted in the formation of the Protestant
Church. It was started by a German monk named Martin Luther.

Protestantism One of the major divisions of Christianity. A movement that began in

northern Europe in the 16th century in response to the practices of the
medieval Roman Catholic Church.

sovereignty The ability to have independent authority over a geographic area or

territory.

Spanish Inquisition A tribunal established by the Spanish king Ferdinand II and queen
Isabella I in 1481, which intended to maintain Catholicism as the
primary religion in their kingdoms. Activities of the Inquisition included
the expulsion and conversion of Jews, Muslims, and Protestants.

Thirty Years' War
(1618 – 1648) A series of wars fought mainly in Central Europe
involving most of the countries in Europe. It was largely a religious war
between Protestant empires like France, England, and Sweden, and
Catholic empires like Spain, Hungary, and of course the Holy Roman
Empire.

Ulrich Zwingli (1484 – 1531) A leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland,

which led to significant changes in civil and state matters in Zürich.

Write a short answer to each question.

1. What was the Protestant Reformation?

The Protestant Reformation was a conflict over how to properly practice Christianity. Some reformers
simply wanted to change certain practices of the Catholic Church, but the conflict resulted in the
creation of separate Protestant churches.

2. How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation?

The Catholic Church first tried to prevent attempts at reform. Church leaders and Catholic rulers
attacked early reformers. Even Luther was ultimately excommunicated by the Church. Over time,
however, the Catholic Church recognized that Protestantism could not be turned back.

3. What practices of the Catholic Church helped lead to the Protestant Reformation?

Some critics objected to the fact that the Catholic Church held services and made the Bible available in
Latin rather than in the languages spoken by the common people. They also objected to the wealth and
corruption of church officials and the sale of indulgences. Meanwhile, some rulers objected to the
political and economic power of the church.
4. What role did Martin Luther play in the Protestant Reformation?

Martin Luther became a vocal critic of many practices of the Catholic Church. He was ultimately
excommunicated, but people who followed Luther formed their own church, the Lutheran Church.

5. How did the concept of the "divine right" of kings contribute to the rise of absolute monarchy in
Europe?

The divine right of kings is the idea that kings receive their authority directly from God and therefore no
one can question their rule. Once the concept was accepted, it became almost impossible to challenge a
king or queen.

6. How did the Protestant Reformation affect the power of secular leaders?

The Protestant Reformation caused some leaders, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England, to
become more important to their people, having both political and religious powers.

Expand your thinking on questions raised in this activity.

7. What explains why England moved toward a constitutional monarchy while France and other
European powers went toward absolute monarchy?

Answers will vary. One possible answer is below.

The rise of Protestantism is the main factor contributing to the different route England took in Europe.
Protestantism put England in conflict with other European powers like Spain. It also contributed to the
English Civil War, which ultimately added to the power of the nobles.

8. Did the Catholic Church help or hurt its cause by conducting the Spanish Inquisition? Explain why you
think so.

Many answers are possible. One answer is below.

I think the Spanish Inquisition hurt the Catholic Church. It probably only made opponents that much
more determined to win, and people who weren't sure which side to support might have been
uncomfortable with the Church's brutal methods. It seems to me that governments or institutions that
turn to torture almost always lose the support of the majority of the people.
In one to two sentences, write the "big idea" or main point of this study.

The Protestant Reformation weakened the power of the pope and the Catholic Church. In this
environment, the states of Europe consolidated their power and territories and developed into both
absolute and constitutional monarchies.

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