In this activity, students will examine the causes of the Protestant Reformation and explore why religious dissatisfaction, political ambition, economic resentment, and cultural change all contributed to one of the most significant turning points in European history. They will investigate how forces such as the sale of indulgences, the rise of nation-states, the growth of the middle class, and the ideas of the Renaissance created conditions in which the established authority of the Catholic Church could be effectively challenged.

It has 11 questions for students to answer, as well as a paragraph response section for them to demonstrate their understanding of the topic.