Lesson 2: Catholics and Protestants

Key Idea

As Protestant ideas spread, the Catholic Church launched its own reform movement, known as the Counter-Reformation. Church leaders met at the Council of Trent to end corruption, reaffirm core Catholic beliefs, and set strict new rules for priests.

The Church also took action to win back followers. A new religious order, the Jesuits, focused on education and missionary work. They built schools and traveled the world, working to stop the spread of Protestantism and expand Catholicism's global reach.

Key Idea

After uniting their kingdoms, rulers Ferdinand and Isabella sought to create a purely Catholic Spain. They believed religious uniformity was essential for a strong and unified nation.

To achieve this goal, they established the Spanish Inquisition. This powerful church court was tasked with finding and punishing heresy, or beliefs that contradicted the Catholic Church. The Inquisition investigated anyone suspected of not being a faithful Catholic.

Key Idea

By the late 1500s, Spain was the most powerful nation in Europe, but England began to challenge its control of the seas. In response to English piracy on Spanish treasure ships, King Philip II of Spain sent a massive fleet, the Spanish Armada, to conquer England in 1588.

The English navy, using smaller and faster ships, outmaneuvered the large, heavy Spanish galleons in battle. As the damaged Armada tried to retreat, a powerful storm destroyed much of what was left of the Spanish fleet.

Key Idea

In France, religious tensions grew between Catholics and French Protestants, known as Huguenots. These groups fought a series of violent civil wars for control of the country. The conflict tore France apart for many years, weakening the power of the king.

To bring peace, King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598. This law declared Catholicism the official religion of France. However, it also granted Huguenots the right to worship and hold public office. This was an important, early step toward religious toleration in Europe.