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Western Civilization Dbq Essay

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In Western Civilization there have been a few incredible people and events that would have an absolutely unbelievable effect on their current events and the future. Some of these people and events include Martin Luther and the Reformation, Elizabeth I, the American Revolution, Henry the VIII and Napoleon Bonaparte. They would create a lasting effect in not only their countries but also the world as well.
A major 16th century movement initially aimed at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformation was begun by a German monk named Martin Luther who challenge the Catholic Church’s doctrine by posting his 95 Theses on a church door. He did this because he was appalled that the church was selling indulgences, which were written letters that assured people’s salvation, in order to build a new Basilica in Rome under Pope Leo X. Martin Luther argued that the Bible, not the pope, was the central means to discern God’s word and was the only thing capable of giving salvation.
In 1522, Luther began to organize a reformed church and was the first to translate the New Testament into German. This New Testament sold almost 200,000 copies and created great appeal for Lutheranism. It allowed many Germanic people to read the Bible because it no longer required the people to know Latin. However, it did not reach everyone as many people were still illiterate. From its beginning, the reformation was tied to political affairs as it was supported by many German

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