AP European History: Unit 2 - Protestant Reformation and Wars of Religion

Overview

• Understanding the Protestant Reformation and the religious wars that followed is crucial for success in AP European History.
• The Reformation led to significant religious, political, and social changes in Europe.

Historical Background

The First Schism (1054)

• Split between Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church.
• Roman Catholic Church dominated Western Europe thereafter.

The Catholic Church by the 1500s

• Entangled in politics, wealthy, and corrupt.

Corrupt Practices

• Simony: Buying/selling of church offices.
• Nepotism: Appointment of family/friends to church offices.
• Indulgences: Selling salvation or purgatory releases.

Key Figures and Movements

Martin Luther

• Augustinian monk, Christian humanist.
• Proposed salvation by faith alone, scriptural authority, priesthood of all believers.
• Posted 95 Theses in 1517, spreading criticisms of church corruption.
• Luther's ideas spread rapidly thanks to the printing press.

Lutheran Reformation

• Widespread acceptance in Germany; supported by German princes for political reasons.

John Calvin

• Swiss reformer, developed Calvinism.
• Key doctrines: Predestination, Elect.
• Calvinism spread through Europe forming Presbyterian, Huguenot, and Puritan movements.

Anabaptists

• Advocated adult baptism, separation of church and state, and pacifism.

Religious Wars

France

• Huguenots: French Protestants, influenced by Calvinism.
• St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572): Thousands of Huguenots killed.
• War of the Three Henrys: Conflict among Catholic and Protestant factions.
• Edict of Nantes (1598): Granted religious freedoms to Huguenots.

Holy Roman Empire

• Thirty Years' War: (1618-1648) A religious conflict that expanded into a political European war.
  • Phases: Bohemian, Danish, Swedish, French.
  • Ended with the Peace of Westphalia (1648), marking a shift towards state sovereignty and religious tolerance.

Catholic Reformation (Counter-Reformation)

• Response to Protestant Reformation to reform and retain followers.
• Council of Trent: Addressed corruption, reaffirmed Catholic doctrines.
• New Religious Orders: Carmelites, Jesuits (focused on missions and education).

Social and Cultural Changes

Social Hierarchy

• Class mobility increased with the rise of the merchant elite.
• Religion and gender affected social status.
• Patriarchy was dominant; women largely excluded from power.

Witch Hunts

• Between 40,000-60,000 people executed, mostly women, during witch trials.
• Most occurred in the Holy Roman Empire.

Art and Culture

Mannerism

• Characterized by distorted figures and vibrant colors.
• Example: Michelangelo's The Last Judgment.

Baroque Art

• Extravagant, ornate, emotional style used to reassert Catholic dominance.
• Prominent artist: Peter Paul Rubens.

These notes encapsulate the major events, figures, and movements of the Protestant Reformation and the Wars of Religion in Unit 2 of AP European History, providing an overview useful for achieving a high exam score.