2.   Martin Luther began a movement to reform the practices of the Catholic Church that he believed were wrong. Reformation leaders did not intend to destroy Christian unity but rather redefine it.  Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Anglicanism produced a dramatically new religious map.  Catholic revival, and new tools such as the powerful Jesuit order, preserved much of territory for Catholicism, but it could not stem division.  The result was a period of confusion and considerable conflict, including concern about witchcraft. The Big Picture

3.  Why we study this unit:  Martin Luther's protests over the abuses in the Catholic Church led to a permanent split within Christianity.  Nearly one-fifth of the Christians in today's world are Protestants  The Reformation's questioning of beliefs and authority laid the ground work for the Enlightenment.

4.  Essential Questions: 1.How did abuses in the church spark widespread criticism? 2.How did Martin Luther challenge Catholic authority and teachings? 3.What role did John Calvin play in the Reformation?

5.  Essential Questions: 4. What were the effects of Protestantism in England? 5. What reforms were made in the Catholic Church? 6. What were the religious and social effects of the Counter-Reformation?

6.  Units:  Last Unit: The Renaissance  Current Unit: Protestant Reformation  Next Unit: Absolutism