Assignments

Analytical Questions

  1. What was the relationship between Christian humanism and the Reformation? Specifically, on what points did the two movements agree and where did they disagree. Be sure to mention the principal figures involved on both sides that will illustrate your points.
  2. What were the sources of religious discontent prior to the Reformation? Be careful not to carry your analysis past the point of the introduction of the Reformation in that particular country. How did religious discontent vary by country? Your analysis should include at least England, France, Germany, plus one other country.
  3. Was there just one Reformation or were there several? If several, how would you identify them; that is, talk about when each phase began and ended, its chief characteristics and leaders, and where it prospered?
  4. Compare the process by which a territory turned Lutheran with how one turned Calvinist. You should talk about how reformist ideas were first introduced, to what social groups the message appealed, the political process by which the religion was formally adopted, and give specific examples to illustrate your points. This is a comparison, so the focus of your essay should be on saying how the two differed or were similar.
  5. What did Charles V do well in Spain? What did he do badly there? Be sure to address economic measures, relations with the nobles and towns, administrative reforms (or lack thereof), legislation, war and foreign policy, religious policy, and an overall assessment.
  6. What did Charles V do well in the Low Countries? What did he do badly there? See the Spain question for details.
  7. What did Charles V do well in Germany? What did he do badly there? See the Spain question for details.
  8. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Scandinavia?
  9. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Poland?
  10. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Hungary?
  11. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Scotland?
  12. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Switzerland?
  13. How did political and social factors affect the course of the Reformation in Bohemia?
  14. What was the nature of the Habsburg-Valois conflict? Why were they fighting, what were the major events in that conflict, and why did the fighting finally come to an end?
  15. How did Protestantism manage to infiltrate into France and become a major political force in the kingdom? Your analysis should go up to 1562.
  16. Why were kings always broke? What steps did they take to try to fix this? Your analysis should discuss at least three countries.
  17. Analyze why Spain's economy failed even though had such a massive income. Why didn't other economies succumb to the same problems?
  18. What aspects of social order and social behavior did the reformers seek to influence? Why?
  19. What was the cause of the Peasants' revolt in Germany, and what were its results, both in the religious as well as in the politico-economic spheres?
  20. In what ways did the Catholic Reformation (the "counter-Reformation") differ from the Protestant Reformation? Be sure to discuss practices and methods as well as doctrine.
  21. Who fought in the Thirty Years War? What were they fighting about? Who won, and why?
  22. In what ways was Luther a humanist? In what ways was he not a humanist? What are his debts to humanism?
  23. What were the key points of difference between Luther, Zwingli and Calvin?