Title: The Reformation's Impact on Germany: The Peasant Wars - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com
Headings: The Reformation's Impact on Germany: The Peasant Wars
The Reformation's Impact on Germany: The Peasant Wars
Lesson Transcript
The Protestant Reformation
Luther Ignites a Revolt
The Peasant Wars
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
The Reformation's Impact on Germany: The Peasant Wars
Start today. Try it now
The Reformation's Impact on Germany: The Peasant Wars
Related Study Materials

Content: The Reformation spread throughout Europe. Scholars encouraged many to learn to read Hebrew and Greek so they could study the Bible in its original language. Many people saw this as an opportunity to gain more control over their lives and a break from authority, leading to mass popularity of freethinking ideas. The Peasant Wars
The life of a peasant at this time was not easy. Because of high taxes and the ownership of all land belonging to royalty, peasants were basically slaves who worked the land without receiving any benefit from it. Peasants faced the heaviest taxes. The clergy and the nobles were exempt from taxes. In addition, costs for basic necessities rose consistently. Peasant uprisings spread from Germany to present-day Austria

As people began to feel freedom from the authority of the Church, they hungered for freedom from the oppression of their landlords and nobles. Peasants began to revolt against their oppressors, claiming the same divine right that gave Luther the right to rebel.