Kreis, Steven. Lecture 3: The Protestant Reformation. The History Guide: Lectures on Early Modern European History, 6th June, 1999. Web. 3rd August, 2

Part of a lecture series that served as the basis for an upper division European Intellectual History and Western Civilization classes at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton and Davie, Florida and Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, these pages detail the many changes happening in Europe during the 16th century, especially how they relate to religion. The author discusses in great detail the life and influential acts of Martin Luther spanning from the raising of him from a child to the reasons he felt the church needed a change and what he went through because of the demonstrations he made publically against the doctrine and practice of the church. Also discussed are the belief system created by John Calvin and how both figures had a deep impact on the reformation and religion as we see it today. The page ends with a statement about how Lutheranism spread widely across Scandinavia and Germany, but Calvinism had a deeper impact across all of Europe.

King Henry VIII: Biography, Portraits. Web. 5th June, 2010, [http://www.englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/henry8.html].

A website for good information, this address will also give a person the ability to choose from a list of pictures of Henry VIII and his wives and children, as well as a nice quiz at the end to test your knowledge of the impetuous monarch. It goes through facts on a purely chronological sense, detailing the different people and the events they had to do with before going to the next set of event. It is a concise version taken from several sources, all of which are available for viewing upon clicking the sources link.

Kilkenny, Niall. Life and Times of King Henry VIII, 29th May 2010. Web. 5th June, 2010, [http://www.reformation.org/king-henry8.html].

This is another interesting website with plenty of great facts about the many influential people during the exciting period of reformation England. as opposed to centering on only Henry VIII, this website gives a lot of details about his queens and their thoughts and feelings that swayed the decisions of the king, including good stuff about Queen Anne Boleyn who supported the Protestant cause and gave the king a book by William Tyndale entitled The Obedience of a Christian Man, although Tyndale had lost favor in the church because of his translation of the New Testament into English. The website clearly states the religious swinging back and forth the English people had to deal with from one queen to another, from Catherin of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and other wives of Henry VII, and on through the reign of the very Catholic Mary and ending with a tolerant Elizabeth I.

Hooker, Richard. Protestant England. Reformation: Protestant England, 6th June, 1999. Web. 5th June, 2010, [http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/REFORM/ENGLAND.HTM

This website, although quite brief, does give some good thoughts on the progress of the Protestant reformation in England during the reign of King Henry VIII and then later monarchs after his death. It was authored for an internet classroom and anthology class about world civilizations at Washington State University. It includes facts about how the king was influenced by such people as Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer in his search for a new church that was more politically and personally based than religiously. It details the struggle Henry had with the Catholic Church throughout his reign, beginning with the matter of his desire to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. The site also offers links to the Counter-Reformation as a follow up.

Trueman, Chris. The Reformation. History Learning Site, 2nd May, 2010. Web. 5th June, 2010, [http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/reformation.htm].

This in an informative website while being simple and easy enough to read quickly. It has many facts about the reign of Henry VIII and how he directly and indirectly influenced the Protestant Reformation. It goes into good information about the reactions that the Catholic Church had to the changes Henry put into affect over his land and his new church, talking about the ways the church even tried to appease the king in some ways, trying to strike up compromises to no avail. The steps taken to completely sever ties with Rome are spelled out on this website in an easy to read fashion. The author, Chris Trueman, who has a BA in history with honors from Aberystwyth University in Wales and later an MA in management from Brighton University, decided in 2000 to create this website out of a feeling that there was no easily accessible and comprehensive website on World History on the web. All of the writings on these pages were done by the author himself from the knowledge he has accumulated over the years while teaching history and American and British politics.

Simkin, John. Henry VIII Biography. Spartacus Educational, 25th May, 2010. Web. 5th June, 2010, [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUDhenry8.htm].

The author, John Simkin, studied at Open University, a school for quality education for everyone which is incorporated by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom. He became intrigued by the concept of active learning, and since he began his history teaching career in 1978, he has been utilizing active teaching techniques. This website is another way he helps students with active learning, and he has also created computer programs for education as well as writing several history books, such as Ghandi, The Roman Empire, and Making of the United Kingdom.

This webpage has interactive links that can be chosen to connect the user to even more in depth information on the subject matter. That being said, the site dedicated to the late great King Henry VIII is quite comprehensive all on its own. It includes a full, yet concisely written biography of the famous king, from hereditary links to birth through to ascension, marriage, and several remarriages, not to mention wars and the monumental separation for the Catholic Church. When necessary to find more facts about one of the other many important people involved with this monarch or many events that happened during his time, appropriate links take a user to more information, as well as options, such as books, so a user could go look for more facts such, making this a well rounded and interesting source.

Witte Jr., John. “PROPHETS, PRIESTS, AND KINGS: JOHN MILTON AND THE REFORMATION OF RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES IN ENGLAND”. Emory Law Journal Vol. 57 Issue 6

This article concentrates on the reformation in a new way, not just in a religious light of the Protestants desire to reform the ways the Christian faith was practiced, but also a full reform of domestic and civil rights and liberties in early modern England centering on the contributions to this cause that were made by an English poet named John Milton. It calls attention to the main events and writings of those encouraging the goal of change in society in England as well as Milton's part in the event. Moreover, it also discusses on how a group of protestants inspired by the teachings of John Calvin developed a theory of fundamental rights which later on helped to inspire and then appears in the American Bill of Rights. This article gives a direct connection between the reformation movement and the ways that the laws of the United States are instituted and enforced. The author, John Witte, Jr., earns his credentials in this area through his study of law and then later employment as the Professor of Law and Director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at the Emory University.

Ives, Eric. “WILL THE REAL HENRY VIII PLEASE STAND UP?”. History Today Vol. 56 Issue 2 (2006): 28-36. Web. Web. 5th, June, 2010.

This article looks into the personality and private life of English king Henry VIII, and how the public opinion of him and his decisions has been sometimes far overblown because of anger or disgust at his decisions as a monarch and as a husband and father. The factors that contributed to the collapse of Henry's reputation are also discussed, leading to the question of why the true persona of this king is sometimes quite difficult to find. The film that was released by Alexander Korda in 1933 entitled The Private Life of Henry VIII is discussed in detail as well as the way this film portrayed the man and king as the macho, totally self-regarding, totally self-absorbed Henry. The message of the film is clear, Henry VIII's reign can be reduced to wife trouble. The author explains that the Reformation that was pushed through England during Henry’s reign was fueled not by a desire on the part of the king to bring about reform, but simply because the king wanted a way out of a marriage and did anything he felt was necessary. The article makes some good points about a public persona that does not fully mesh with a private one. The author, Eric Ives, is an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Birmingham.

Kirby, Torrance. “Lay Supremacy: Reform of the canon law of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I (1529-1571)”. Reformation & Renaissance Review: Jou

This article discusses the drastic change to canon law from 1529 to 1571 under the leadership of King Henry VIII Through to Queen Elizabeth I. The author details how Henry had made several attempts to make changes to canon law after his impulsive and monumental decision to separate England from the Catholic Church. After the separation, the Catholic Church made great efforts to find a way to resolve the differences between the parties involved, but not until Henry’s only son, Edward VI, was there finally appointed a Royal commission of 32 individuals under the rule of Thomas Cranmer who eventually made a proposal of new rules and regulations regarding the practice of worship. Even with this proposal, there would not be an agreement by the king, parliament, or the people to accept this new set of laws. The author questions in this article why it was not possible, even after so many years and efforts, for the tradition canon law to be reformed. The author has been employed at the McGill University, which is where she gained her authority on this subject matter.

Gallavan, Nancy P., Kottler, Ellan. "Visualizing the Life and Legacy of Henry VIII: Guiding Students with Eight Types of Graphic Organizers". Social S

The first author of this publication, Nancy Collins, works as an educator at the Department of Teaching and Learning of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas, and the second author, Ellan Kottler is employed at the Department of Secondary Education at the California State University in Fullerton, California.

The authors use a group of eight graphic organizers that help students in their understanding of the complex and interesting life and times of King Henry VIII of England. Because the story of this influential and complicated individual in history is a difficult one to grasp in print alone, these educators have put together an expansive set of charts and other visual aids, including a timeline and a compare and contrast set of maps for that area from that time period till the present. Also available is a family tree styled chart for the parties involved, as well as a more detailed one for the wives and children of Henry. Flow charts and Venn diagrams help a student understand the influential people in Henry’s life as well as the influences Henry made in millions of lives to come. This is a good article because it is, in fact difficult for some to understand historical events as they happened, and the visual aids presented in this article are prime examples of knowledgeable and reliable sources for information.

Wooding, Lucy. “Henry VIII and Religion”. History Review Issue 62 (2008): 42-47. Web. 5th, June, 2010.

This article explains that, although Henry VIII, king of England was a inconsistent monarch, the religious practices that he instituted in his country had a deep impact on the future of England and are the most important influence that he had on history. The author argues that Henry did break off from the Catholic Church, but in many ways, the practices instituted in his newly founded Church of England are very similar to the standards of the traditional church. Also argued is the concept that the king seemed to have intentions to be involved in the new church he created, but his indecisive behavior prevented him from having a healthy role in his family or his kingdom. The author gives some examples of the king’s vacillating actions, such as the institution of an English Bible and defense of the Latin Mass and its doctrine of the Real Presence as well as his affection towards an advisor who deeply supported the Catholic Church to be follows by a leaning towards a drastically different supporter of the Reformation, both of whom were put to death when the king changed his mind again. The author of this article takes her position on this matters as a lecturer of history at the King’s College in London, England.

Wilson, Derek. A Tudor Tapestry: Men, Women, and Society in Reformation England. Pittsburg, PN: University of Pittsburg Press, 1972.

Derek Wilson Spent the first part of his life in Harrow, and later moved to Cambridge in 1956. As he studied theology and history in college, he developed a great interest and appreciation for the Reformation and also European life during that time period, and because of his background of the two related by different areas of study he had been a part of, he could see the Reformation from a uniquely balanced point of view. In 1964 he was awarded the University’s Archbishop Cranmer Prize for post-graduate research in Reformation studies. The work he submitted for that competition had been used in part to create this book. He has written several different textbooks on a wide variety of themes, and he taught history for years in both Kenya and England.

This book, A Tudor Tapestry, being taken from the author’s previous work and expanded upon, talks about the great upheaval that happened in England during the Protestant Reformation and the working through of the events that followed. In a fifty year period, the people of England went from being predominantly Catholic to predominantly Protestant, and the author makes two theories about the study of those times. First, that in order to grasp the feeling of the time, it is necessary to look at the effect on the lives of the individuals of the time, people from different age groups, social status, and religious beliefs. Second is that in order to understand the drastic change of a country from Catholic to Protestant, a person must understand the real power and influence a large middle class had. This book gives life stories of many individuals, whether they be largely memorable or not, and explains why each had an influence on the vast “tapestry” that is called the Protestant Reformation.

Graves, Michael A.R. Henry VIII: Profiles in Power. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2003.

Michael Graves is the Associate Professor of history at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and is an honorary fellow of the Faculty of Arts Centre for Medieval and Early Modern European Studies there.

In this book, the author gives the reader a concise but comprehensive view of the life of King Henry VIII of England and gives a significant amount of details about the beginning of the Tudor reign before him and some of the events that would follow his life. This book connects a long chain of events leading to the many rash decisions made by this monarch, providing an in-depth Chronology of small and largely important dates to the time period surrounding the reign of King Henry VIII. Reading this books will help a person distinguish between the many myths or misinformation about this historical figure and the real facts behind an incredibly power hungry and influential king. This book examines his role in the Church of England, the royal court, and the Parliament, as well as discussing his relationship with councilors, ministers, and wives, and talks about his unrealistic desires for war and military glory.

Feuerlicht, Robert Strauss. The Life and World of Henry VIII. New York: Cromwell-Collier Press, 1970.

Roberta Strauss Feuerlicht has written several books aimed at younger readers with an interest in historical lives and event, such as The Legends of Paul Bunyan and The Desperate Act: The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo, which was on the New York Times best sellers list in 1968. She made extensive travels to various places in Europe, where she studied and collected information on folklore, dance, and music.

The book by this author is informative while being deeply interesting, a brilliant biography of the life of one of the most interesting people in England’s history. The Life and World of Henry VIII discusses in detail the events leading up to along with the rise into monarchy of King Henry VIII of England. The author explains the many vices of the king, pleasure seeking, greed, and leanings towards a constant desire for war. Henry VIII was an impetuous king, doing whatever he pleased and stepping on whomever or whatever was necessary to get what he wanted. This book discusses in depth the marriage to six wives, and how he got rid of five of them, with the monumental divorce from the Catholic Church of Rome and founding of his own personal Church of England with London as its base in order to give himself permission to divorce his first wife. The author explains that while Henry VIII lived a selfish life and dragged his country into poverty, he will be remembered also as the man who pushed forward the Protestant Reformation in England and bore three children, one of which, his second daughter, would prove to be one of England’s best and most tolerant monarchs.

Dawson, Christopher. The Dividing of Christendom. New York: Sheed and Ward, Inc., 1965.

Christopher Dawson was born in Wales and west to school at Winchester and at Trinity College in Oxford. He became a member of the Catholic Church in 1914 and subsequently worked for twelve years as a lecturer at the University College in Exeter and he later taught at the Edinburgh and Liverpool Universities. Later, at Harvard University, he became the first Charles Chauncey Stillman Professor of Roman Catholic Studies in 1958. Dawson wrote other books about historical influence such as The Making of Europe, The Crisis of Western Education, and The Movement of World Revolution.

The author’s book, The Dividing of Christendom, covers a period of history from the Reformation to the French Revolution, and is based on several lectures made by the author himself when he held his position as Charles Chauncey Stillman Professor of Roman Catholic Studies at Harvard University. This is an excellent source of information, having in depth studies of a time period so relevant to modern day. This book includes chapters describing in detail many specifically events, people, and locations that were relevant to the dividing and metamorphosis of the Christian church and its subsequent branches. Beginning with events happening during the medieval era thirteenth century and the effects that occurrences had on the people’s view of the Catholic Church and ending with the Age of Enlightenment in the nineteenth century, this book also compares and contrasts Puritan England and Puritan America. The author also brings the point that the understanding of how the great breaks in the church occurred could facilitate a stronger belief that all belong together who believe that Christ is their Savior.

Collinson, Patrick. The Reformation: A History. New York The Modern Library, 2004.

Patrick Collinson was born in Ipswich in the county town of Suffolk, England. He studied at the King's School in Ely and Pembroke College in Cambridge. His 1957 doctorate was written on the subject of Elizabethan Puritanism. He lectured at the University of Khartoum and King's College in London and was also employed as a professor at the University of Sydney , then at the University of Kent at Canterbury and also the University of Sheffield. His works, including The Elizabethan Puritan Movement in 1967, have set out to show that the Puritan movement was not merely a radical movement, but it had a quite a significant impact on the Church of England.

His book, The Reformation: A History, written in 2004, is an excellent example of his work, going into great detail about the causes, influences, and effects of the Protestant Reformation on Europe and subsequently around the world. The author offers a concise but quite thorough journey through the critical events of this time period, including the events of the late medieval period and the drastic changes that took hold during the Italian and Northern Renaissance. Along with definitions and detailed timelines regarding the different groups involved, such as the Lutherans and the Calvinists, the author discusses the pointed counter-measures to the Reformation employed by the Catholic Church at the time and the results of said counter-measures. This book is a well-written and interesting resource into one of the most influential time periods for the development of the Christian faith.

Five Preliminary Citations:

Collinson, Patrick. The Reformation, New York: Random House, Inc., 2004.

Feuerlicht, Roberta Strauss. The Life and World of Henry VIII. New York: Crowell-Collier Press, 1970.

Gallavan, Nancy P., Kottler, Ellan. "Visualizing the Life and Legacy of Henry VIII: Guiding Students with Eight Types of Graphic Organizers". Social Studies Vol. 101 Issue 3 (2010): 93-102. Web. 8th May, 2010.

Simkin, John. Henry VIII Biography. Spartacus Educational, 4th May, 2010. Web. 8th May, 2010, [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUDhenry8.htm].

Wooding, Lucy. Henry VIII and Religion. History Review Issue 62 (2008): 42-47. Web. 8th May, 2010.