Unit 2 AP Euro Vocab

Religious Pluralism

The acceptance or coexistence of multiple religious belief systems within a state or across Europe, which shattered the medieval ideal of a unified Christian continent.

Sovereign State

A political entity governed by secular systems of law and centralized institutions, free from external authority like the Papacy.

Jan Hus

A 15th-century Czech religious reformer executed for heresy whose teachings anticipated Martin Luther's Protestant reforms by a century.

John Wycliffe

An 14th-century English philosopher and reformer who criticized papal authority and advocated for translating the Bible into the vernacular.

Martin Luther

German theologian whose 1597 Ninety-Five Theses criticized Catholic abuses (such as indulgences), launching the Protestant Reformation.

Pope Leo X

Catholic Pope who promoted the sale of indulgences to fund St. Peter's Basilica and excommunicated Martin Luther.

Frederick the Wise

Elector of Saxony and powerful German prince who protected Martin Luther from the Papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor.

Diet of Worms (1521)

The imperial assembly where Martin Luther refused to recant his writings before Emperor Charles V and church authorities

Salvation by Faith Alone (Sola Fide)

The Protestant belief that justification before God is achieved through personal faith alone rather than good works or sacraments.

Primacy of Scripture (Sola Scriptura)

The Protestant doctrine asserting that the Bible is the sole authority for Christian faith and practice.

Priesthood of Believers

The Protestant doctrine stating that all Christian believers have direct access to God without requiring a priest or church hierarchy as an intermediary.

Protestant Work Ethic & Wealth

The doctrine—held particularly by Calvinists—that hard work, thrift, and the accumulation of wealth were signs of God's favor and individual election.

German Peasants' Revolt (1524-1525)

A widespread peasant uprising demanding economic and political rights; led in part by radical reformers like Thomas Müntzer, though strongly condemned by Martin Luther.

John Calvin

French theologian and reformer based in Geneva who developed Calvinism, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty and predestination.

Predestination

Calvinist doctrine stating that God has eternally determined who will be saved (the "elect") and who will be damned prior to creation.

Ulrich Zwingli

Swiss Reformation leader who instituted Protestant reforms in Zürich and clashed with Luther over the symbolic nature of the Eucharist.

Anabaptists

A radical Protestant movement advocating for adult baptism, total separation of church and state, and pacifism; rejected the authority of secular governments over faith.

Vernacular Bibles

Scriptures translated into everyday spoken languages (e.g., German, English) and distributed via the printing press to democratize scripture access.

Huguenots

French Calvinist Protestants who challenged royal Catholic authority in France during the 16th and 17th centuries

Puritans

English Calvinist Protestants who sought to "purify" the Church of England of remaining Catholic rituals and governance.

Charles V

Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain who attempted unsuccessfully to preserve Catholic religious unity across his vast European empire.

French Wars of Religion (1562-1598)

A prolonged conflict between French Catholic factions and Protestant Huguenots over royal power and religious supremacy.

Catherine de' Medici

Italian noblewoman, Queen of France, and regent who orchestrated political maneuvering during the French Wars of Religion, including authorizing the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572)

A targeted mob assassination and slaughter of French Huguenots gathered in Paris, escalating the French religious wars.

Henry IV of Navarre

Protestant leader who converted to Catholicism to claim the French throne ("Paris is well worth a Mass") and restored peace to France.

Edict of Nantes (1598)

Decree issued by King Henry IV granting French Huguenots substantial religious toleration, civil rights, and fortified towns.

Philip II

King of Spain, son of Charles V, and defender of Catholic Europe who waged military campaigns against Protestant England, the Ottoman Empire, and the revolting Netherlands.

Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)

European conflict fought across the Holy Roman Empire; began as a religious war between Protestants and Catholics and transformed into a political struggle for European dominance.

Peace of Westphalia (1648)

Treaties ending the Thirty Years' War that recognized Calvinism, established state territorial sovereignty, and effectively ended the medieval ideal of universal Catholic Christendom.

Counter-Reformation (Catholic Reformation)

The Catholic Church's internal spiritual renewal and institutional reaction against the Protestant Reformation.

Council of Trent (1545-1563)

A series of Catholic church council sessions that reaffirmed core doctrines (e.g., transubstantiation, seven sacraments) while reforming administrative corruption and clergy education.

Transubstantiation

The Catholic doctrine stating that during the Eucharist, the bread and wine literally become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Ignatius of Loyola & the Jesuits

Spanish priest who founded the militant Society of Jesus (Jesuits); acted as the intellectual and missionary arm of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation.

St. Teresa of Avila

Spanish mystic and Carmelite nun who led a movement of spiritual and monastic renewal within the Catholic Church.

Ursulines

A Catholic religious order of women founded to provide education for young girls and combat Protestant ideas.

Roman Inquisition

Papal court system established in 1542 to prosecute individuals accused of heresy and Protestant beliefs in Catholic lands.

Index of Prohibited Books

A list of published works forbidden by the Catholic Church to read without special permission under penalty of excommunication.

La Querelle des Femmes

An ongoing intellectual debate among European writers regarding the nature, intellect, capacity, and proper social role of women.

Nuclear Family

A household unit composed strictly of parents and their children, which became the predominant family structure in Western Europe.

Regulating Public Morals

The passage of secular laws by city councils and governments to enforce strict moral codes, restrict begging, and regulate prostitution

Communal Leisure & Rituals

Traditional seasonal activities organized around agricultural and religious calendars, such as Carnival, Saint's day festivities, and blood sports.

Charivari

A public humiliation ritual using noisy mock serenades to enforce community norms and shame those who violated social expectations.

Witchcraft Trials

A wave of mass prosecutions and executions for practicing evil magic that peaked between 1580 and 1650, heavily targeting unmarried or poor elderly women amidst social and religious upheaval.

Mannerism

An artistic style that emerged as a reaction to Renaissance harmony, utilizing elongated figures, artificiality, intense emotion, and spatial distortion.

El Greco

Greek painter of the Spanish Golden Age who mastered the Mannerist style using dramatic colors, elongated forms, and intense spiritual imagery.

Baroque Art

A highly dramatic, ornate, and emotional art and architectural style promoted by the Catholic Counter-Reformation and absolute monarchs to inspire awe and devotion.

Gian Bernini

Premier Italian architect and sculptor of the Baroque period known for capturing motion, intense emotion, and dramatic light in works like The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa.

Artemisia Gentileschi & Peter Paul Rubens

Prominent Baroque painters famous for using dramatic lighting, physical tension, and vivid color to depict intense historical and religious scenes.