After the Renaissance, Europe began to enter into an age of reformation as several individuals strongly opposed of the church’s teachings. In particular, the Protestant Reformation was inspired by Martin Luther, a theologian and monk, that sought to reform the Catholic church with his Ninety-Five Theses along with the aid of the printing press. The main cause of the Protestant Reformation was the church practice of selling indulgences and Luther’s response to their practices. The rise of social revolutions like the Radical Reformation and the Peasants’ Revolt and new forms of Christianity such as Lutheranism and Calvinism resulted from the Protestant Reformation. In 1517, Tetzel was encouraging people to purchase indulgences in order to save …show more content…
Locke did not only reasoned that human nature was inherently good, but also believed that the government should limit the powers of rulers in order to protect individual rights. Locke’s Two Treatises of Government specifically addressed the protection of individual rights from the absolute power of the government. The ideas expressed by Locke influenced the minds of the writers of the Declaration of the Independence. Thomas Jefferson and others adopted Locke’s idea, stating that the limited power of the government is approved by citizens. On July 4, 1776, all citizens adopted Locke’s idea through the Declaration of Independence. The declaration particularly states the duty of the government, which is to protect the rights of the individuals. In addition, citizens are allowed to make the adjustment to the …show more content…
These monarchs wanted to strengthen their power in the government. Charles VI of Austria wanted to reform the power of the nobility. His successors continued to reform the state with their power. Like Charles VI, Frederick II from Prussia also was influenced by enlightened despotism. He issued a religious toleration in order to win the support of French Protestant refugees. Frederick II continued his reformation, establishing individual freedom for peasants by abolishing serfdom. Enlightened despotism brought several changes to the European society through