Mr. Meester
AP European History
Pages: 377-386
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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
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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
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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
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Many would fear the influence the
Reformation would have over Education
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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
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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
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Spanish literature
combined politics,
religion, and chivalry
The 16th century saw
literature change and
question the
establishment
Miguel de Cenvantes’s
Don Quixote
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Shakespeare’s work
reflects life in England
Shakespeare blended
all types plays
◦ Classical, Medieval, and
Contemporary
◦ Historical, Tragedies,
and Comedies
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Wrote the most
performed plays in
history