Social Studies 9R – Mr. Berman

Aim #9: How did Protestant ideas spread across Germany and England?

I. Church Reaction to Luther

  1. Martin Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521
  2. Luther was called upon to stand trial in Worms by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Charles V was part of the powerful Hapsburg family, and controlled the largest empire in Europe (pictured below). Charles was a devoted Catholic and strong supporter of the Church, and wanted Luther to recant (take back) his controversial ideas.

·  Identify the areas in Europe controlled by Charles V

  1. Luther refused to take back his ideas, so Charles V issued the Edict of Worms declaring Luther an outlaw and a heretic.
  2. Luther gained protection from Frederick of Saxony, a powerful noble who was the leader of the German state Luther lived in.

II. Reaction to Luther in Germany

  1. Germany (also known as the Holy Roman Empire) was still a collection of disunified states during this period, each one with its own ruler. As Emperor, Charles V was supposed to be in charge of these rulers, but the rulers wanted to run their states with as little interference from him as possible.
  2. The rulers of many of these German states sided with Luther and converted to Protestantism.

·  Why would they do this? (think about how it helps them in their struggle for power with their Catholic emperor Charles V?)

  1. Many German peasants and educated middle class individuals in Germany also sided with Luther and converted.

·  Why did they find Luther’s ideas appealing? (think about why they would be attracted to Luther’s idea of a priesthood of all believers and justification by faith alone)

  1. Ultimately, the northern German states became Protestant, the southern states remained Catholic. Eventually, there was a civil war in Germany between rulers who supported Luther and rulers who were still loyal to Charles V.
  1. Compromise Solution: The Peace of Augsburg (1555). Rulers of each German state could decide whether the state will be Catholic or Protestant.

·  Does this mean there is religious tolerance in the German states? Explain.

III. English Reformation

A.  King Henry VIII (1509-1547) of England wanted to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon (she was getting older and had not provided a male heir), and marry Anne Boleyn. He asked the Pope for a divorce.

B.  The Pope would not grant the divorce (Catherine was the aunt of Charles V, and the Pope didn’t want to upset him!)

·  Why does the Pope have to careful not to anger Charles V?

C.  When the Pope refused to cooperate, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church and made England Protestant! So everyone in England had to be Protestant so the king could get a divorce!

D.  Henry forced Parliament to pass the Act of Supremacy (1534): “be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament, that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors, kings of this realm, shall be taken, accepted; and reputed the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England, called the Anglican Church; and shall have and enjoy, annexed and united to the imperial crown of this realm, as well the title and style thereof, as all honors, dignities, pre-eminences, jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity of supreme head of the same Church”

·  What did the Act of Supremacy do?

E.  Once England is no longer Catholic, Henry closed all the English monasteries, and sold the land to nobles and wealthy members of the middle class

·  Why did Henry do this? How will he benefit?