In his pamphlet, Luther condemned the rebellious peasants as doing the work of the devil. He urged princes to be ‘both judge and executioner’. He claimed, ‘To knock down, strangle, and stab ... an insurgent ... Such times are these that a prince can merit heaven better with bloodshed than a prayer.’ 1. Identify Luther’s attitude towards the rebellious peasants. 2. Explain why a reformer who fought against corruption would not support the peasants, given that princes gained wealth while peasants paid taxes. 3. Suggest how Luther’s belief in the ‘divine right of kings’ and his need for rulers’ support explain his view of rebellions.
2.4
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 1, 2, 3
LEVEL2
LEVEL3
4, 5, 6, 8
7, 9, 10
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. Determine whether the following statement is True or False: The Reformation began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church. 2. Identify which powerful people supported Luther. A. The peasants B. The Pope and clergy C. German rulers D. King Henry VIII 3. Complete the passage: Luther opposed the Church’s practice of selling ________________ that required people to ________________ to get their loved ones into ________________. He believed that ________________, ________________ and priests were not superior to other Christians. 4. Outline the Pope’s response to Luther’s demands.
5. State one idea of the Calvinists and one of the Anabaptists. 6. Explain what changes were made by the Catholic Reformation.
ANALYSE AND APPLY 7. Explain how England’s break with the Roman Catholic Church was different from experiences in other countries. 8. Examine SOURCE2 and explain why this practice caused resentment towards the Catholic Church. EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE 9. Identify three of Luther’s arguments and suggest why each threatened the power of the Catholic Church. 10. Examine SOURCES4 and 5 . Examine why the collapse of the peasants’ revolt led to a loss of support for Lutheranism. Answers and sample responses for this topic are available online.
TOPIC2 Emergence of the modern world in Europe 31
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