World History 15 & 16 Focus Questions

Explain how humanism influenced education during the Renaissance.

Humanism was a movement that focused on human abilities, achievements, and learning from ancient Greece and Rome. It changed education by encouraging schools to teach subjects like grammar, poetry, history, and moral lessons, instead of focusing only on religion. The goal was to help students become well-rounded, thoughtful individuals who could think for themselves and play an active role in society.

Part 1

Humanism was a movement that focused on human abilities, achievements, and learning from ancient Greece and Rome.

Part 2

It changed education by encouraging schools to teach subjects like grammar, poetry, history, and moral lessons, instead of focusing only on religion.

Part 3

The goal was to help students become well-rounded, thoughtful individuals who could think for themselves and play an active role in society.

Explain the significance of the use of the vernacular?

The vernacular is the everyday language people spoke, instead of Latin, which only scholars and the Church used. Writing in the vernacular made books and ideas easier for ordinary people to understand. This helped spread Renaissance ideas widely, encouraged more people to read, and allowed more people to participate in learning and religion.

Part 1

The vernacular is the everyday language people spoke, instead of Latin, which only scholars and the Church used.

Part 2

Writing in the vernacular made books and ideas easier for ordinary people to understand.

Part 3

This helped spread Renaissance ideas widely, encouraged more people to read, and allowed more people to participate in learning and religion.

Why was Gutenberg's printing press viewed as revolutionary and a "game changer"?

Before Gutenberg’s press, books were copied by hand, which took a long time and made them very expensive. The printing press could produce books quickly and cheaply, so more people could read them. This made it possible for Renaissance ideas, and later Reformation ideas, to spread quickly across Europe, reaching more people than ever before.

Part 1

Before Gutenberg’s press, books were copied by hand, which took a long time and made them very expensive.

Part 2

The printing press could produce books quickly and cheaply, so more people could read them.

Part 3

This made it possible for Renaissance ideas, and later Reformation ideas, to spread quickly across Europe, reaching more people than ever before.

Compare Henry VIII's motives for breaking with the Catholic Church with those of Martin Luther. What role did politics play in the actions of both men?

Henry VIII left the church because he wanted a divorce and control over the Church in England. Luther, on the other hand, wanted to reform the Church because he disagreed with practices like selling indulgences and believed people could be saved through faith, not Church rituals. Politics affected both men because Henry used the split to gain power over the Church in England, and some German princes supported Luther to gain more independence from the Pope.

Part 1

Henry VIII left the church because he wanted a divorce and control over the Church in England.

Part 2

Luther, on the other hand, wanted to reform the Church because he disagreed with practices like selling indulgences and believed people could be saved through faith, not Church rituals.

Part 3

Politics affected both men because Henry used the split to gain power over the Church in England, and some German princes supported Luther to gain more independence from the Pope.

Explain the impact that the printing press had on the Reformation in Europe.

The printing press helped the Reformation by spreading ideas quickly and widely. Martin Luther’s Ninety-five Theses and other writings were printed and shared across Europe, reaching many people who could not have read them otherwise. This allowed people to learn about Church problems, discuss new ideas, and join reform movements. The press made it easier for Protestant ideas to grow and for the Reformation to have a big impact on Europe.

Part 1

The printing press helped the Reformation by spreading ideas quickly and widely.

Part 3

This allowed people to learn about Church problems, discuss new ideas, and join reform movements.

Part 4

The press made it easier for Protestant ideas to grow and for the Reformation to have a big impact on Europe.