How Did Henry Viii Influence The Colonies

Throughout the sixteenth century, many immigrants came to the New England regions, seeking refuge from religious prosecution especially in England. The Protestant Reformation was a religious and political movement that affected the practice of Christianity as well as most other religions throughout Europe. The series of events in sixteenth century England that caused the Church to break away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic church is known as the English reformation. Many traveled to the colonies to escape religious persecution throughout this reformation period in Europe. The New England colonies, especially the Massachusetts Bay Colony as well as Rhode Island were much more liberal and advanced than the Old world communities were. For example, in Providence, Rhode Island, courageous Roger Williams but a Baptist church, establishing complete

Separatists- Separatists are a group of people that are also known as “English protestants.” Their goal was to separate themselves from the church of England, whom they had been defying for years. Although they didn't believe everyone deserves religious freedom, the reason for leaving the Church of England was for them to be able to believe what they wanted.

Henry VIII's Reformation In 1529 Henry VIII started to reform the Catholic Church in England, however there are different opinions as to why he began these controversial changes. The orthodox view concurs that there was a vast anti-clerical feeling in 16th century England; the corrupt church was unpopular with the masses. However the revisionist view claims that the reformation was actually due to politics. Henry needed a male heir and therefore needed a divorce.

The Protestant Reformation was a pivotal time of European history that occurred during the 16th century. The Protestant Reformation was comprised of people called “reformers” that challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define Christian practice (“The Reformation”). The Protestant Reformation was revolutionary due to the fact that the reformers preached against everything the Catholic Church had been teaching. Some famous reformers are John Calvin and Martin Luther. However, Martin Luther-- to some--- is named the most successful and influential reformer of the 16th century. Martin Luther was tremendously effective and influential due to how resourceful he was, and his teachings spread across Europe swiftly.

The colonies were a way for people to break away from England or other European countries. These people started new lifestyles where they could freely practice their own religions. They made a living for themselves with limited interference from the country of origination. During this time in England, the Church of England was being led by Calvinists. The group known as the Puritans were “continuing to press for reforms of the Church of England along Calvinist lines” (Wilson). The tension between the two groups led a group known as the Separatists, who disagreed with the Church of England, to leave England and find a better life for themselves and their family.

Question Two: In what ways was the English Reformation similar and different to the Protestant Reformation in Germany? Describe the Elizabethan Settlement and its impact on the church and the people of England. The English Reformation, led largely by King Henry VII, and the Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther were both splits from the Catholic Church and were also both condemned by the Catholic Church. In addition, both reformations led to localized preaching’s and individuals or congregations interpreting the bible themselves, not the Church as a whole interpreting the bible.

The English Reformation was a phenomenon that took place in the 16th century. Puritans living in England were facing “religious persecution” the state religion at the time was the Church of England. The Puritans believed that traveling to and inhabiting New England would not only grant them

Connecticut, Plymouth, Rhode Island, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and New Haven all made up the region that was New England. It laid just north of the colony of Chesapeake. The New Englanders wanted and longed for religious freedom. They were known as Puritan Separatists, they wanted complete separation from the Church of England. Protestantism was an evolution that thrived in England once the Church separated from Catholicism. These people wanted to turn toward Calvinism, because of this they began to be called “Separatists”. They were not alone in this, joined with them where

The earliest English settlements in Northern America consisted of Jamestown, Plymouth, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Pilgrims were Separatists that journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Mayflower in 1620 in order to break away from the corrupt Church of England. They established the colony of Plymouth where they were able to practice their religion freely. Similarly, another Christian group called the Puritans, left England in 1630, also seeking refuge to practice their beliefs freely. John Winthrop created the notion of the “City Upon a Hill” for the Massachusetts Bay colony that exemplified the ‘pure’ lifestyle and governance that would influence other societies (Doc D). The United States has a long history of religious splintering and various religious movements- over 900 denominations of

He closed down many Catholic monasteries to seize their wealth. When he was not permitted to divorce his first wife by the Pope at the time, he split from the Catholic church entirely. Louis may have thrown several parties with the money he had collected through very high taxes, but Henry’s actions negatively helped kick-start the strenuous relationship between the Catholics and Protestants of England. This led to a very disastrous war that nearly tore Europe apart.

When the Mayflower sailed over to the New World, on the boats were Puritans that were looking for a change in the way that their religion was practiced where the Chesapeake settlers came over for gold. Alongside the Puritans were the Separatists who

Henry VIII also made the change between Catholicism and Protestantism extremely confused. After having a protestant influenced wife from Lutheran Germany the king was then married to a religiously conservative catholic. After executing Cromwell for his advanced religious ideas and arresting a religious conservative, Henry VIII also executed his Catholic wife and remarried to Catherine Parr who again had protestant sympathies. During the year of Henry VIII’s death, his regency council of extremely conservative catholic men was replaced with a group who quickly established Protestantism.

The period immediately following the Protestant reformation and the Catholic counter reformation, was full of conflict and war. The entire continent of Europe and all of it's classes of society were affected by the destruction and flaring tempers of the period. In the Netherlands, the Protestants and the Catholics were at eachother’s throats. In France it was the Guise family versus the Bourbons. In Bohemia, the religious and political structures caused total havoc for over thirty years; and in England, the Presbyterians thought that the English Anglican Church too closely resembled the Roman Catholic Church. Religion was the major cause of the widespread

The intent of this paper is to evaluate the distinct character and quality of the expressions of the Protestant Reformation. This paper will discuss Lutheran Reformation, The Anabaptist, and The English Puritans as well as the Catholic Reformation also known as the Counter Reformation. It is the hope that after the reader has had the opportunity to view each of the characteristics and the expressions of each of the reformation the reader will have a better understanding of each and will be able to articulate the differences of each.

One specific reason influenced King Henry VIII’s decision to leave the Roman Catholic Church. In 1501, Catherine of Aragon had married Henry VII's eldest son Arthur, but he died less than a year later. Therefore, Henry VIII married his brother’s widow on his accession to the throne in 1509 (Lehnberg 129). Unfortunately, Henry VIII decided to rid himself of his wife after she had failed to produce a male heir to the throne (“Henry VIII.”). He had already decided who his next wife would be, Anne