The Protestant Reformation was a 16th century movement that altered the course of European and world history in a number of different ways.
This movement led to the eventual influence and demise of the previously powerful Catholic Church.
Most importantly, people began to leave the religious strife that was taking place in their European homelands and they headed west to America to worship God as they pleased.
Religious Differences
Even though people were worshiping as they believed, the Protestant Reformation brought about a new set of problems.
People all throughout Europe began to engage in bloody conflicts over their religious disagreements.
Catholics fought against the Protestants and rulers fought against various Christian sects that did not affiliate with their particular beliefs.
Religion in the New World?
Spanish explorers discovered the Americas and some people began to migrate to the new world to find fame and fortune.
Exploration expeditions began to spring up in England and other European countries and the age of exploration was established. This development was important because it allowed many early settlers to leave Europe and travel to the Americas.
Religion and the Constitution
The Reformation not only drove people to found America, but it also helped to establish the Constitution which is the living document that governs the United States.
After the religious dissenters from Europe arrived in America, society was dominated by a clash of various religious beliefs. Those beliefs continued to dominate America for hundreds of years, up until the latter half of the 20th century.
Religion was so strong in America that it dictated the lives of millions of settlers that lived in the colonies. People in America can now worship as they believe but no state religion is to be endorsed. Many different Christian denominations are being worshipped in America today.
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