Social Impact of the Reformation Mr. Meester AP European History Pages: 377-386

Religion in the 15th Century The Church calendar dominated the daily lives of most ordinary people. Monasteries and Nunneries were extremely important institutions Problems arose for the Church: Indulgences Corrupt Priests Exception from taxation and the law

Religion in the 16th Century The Reformation changed little in the way of politics and economics The numbers of clergy, monasteries, convents, and churches all fell Protestant clergy lost most special privileges and authority even within the church Many protestant converts returned to the Catholic Church by the 17th century

Changes in Education Protestants were able to institute many Humanist reforms in education They moved to remove Scholasticism from colleges and universities Phillip Melanchthon helped Luther reconstruct the curriculum at Wittenberg Calvin setup the Genevan Academy which became the University of Geneva Many would fear the influence the Reformation would have over Education

Protestant Women Challenged the duality of the Catholic view on women: temptress & virgin Protestants focused of the roles of women as housewives and mothers Gained equal rights with men in areas of divorce and remarriage Educated noblewomen found greater freedom but some disliked the removal of the cloister Women were better educated to help with their household duties

Early Modern Families In western Europe couples waited till later to get married Arranged marriages were still common during this time period In the West “nuclear” families were common Birth control methods existed but ineffective and looked down on by the church Wet nursing was a common practice (with the upper class) but was condemned by both the Church & doctors

Miguel de Cervantes Spanish literature combined politics, religion, and chivalry The 16th century saw literature change and question the establishment Miguel de Cenvantes’s Don Quixote

William Shakespeare Shakespeare’s work reflects life in England Shakespeare blended all types plays Classical, Medieval, and Contemporary Historical, Tragedies, and Comedies Wrote the most performed plays in history