Protestant Reformation Dbq

DBQ 9/12/15

QUESTION:   To what extent did the Protestant Reformation alter European society in the sixteenth century?   Skill: CCOT

In the sixteenth century, the Protestant Reformation allowed people of all classes to explore and debate new religious ideas and changes, which were translated into many aspects of daily life in society.   Though the reformation increased the value of education, taking it to new heights, and added some stricter societal norms, it still left most people in the same position or class in society, despite the other surrounding reforms that were taking place throughout Europe.

The Protestant Reformation increased the value of education in society and held certain social regulations that were based off of purity in a higher regard.   The reforms that would develop into different branches of Protestantism often dictated the expectations for those practicing the religion.   In Document 3, the regulations for Calvinism, which is a major religion spurred from the Protestant Reformation, include punishment for drunkenness, songs and dancing, and games, which were considered impure or not in accordance with the will of God.   These rules had a clear impact on the social lives and values of those in cities rich with Calvinism, such as Geneva, by restricting leisure activities that had been common prior.   Document 3 was written by the church as an outline for punishment, but it’s hard to tell if it was actually put into action to the exact extent written in the list of regulations, possibly making it unreliable to directly show how society responded.   In addition to the new values of daily life, the upper class of society especially was influenced by a new importance of education.   In Document 5, school ordinances from Germany cover the importance of sending children to school when they’re young to educate them in the knowledge of God and in “what is useful to them in a worldly life.”   This was an improvement from the education in times before, as it...