Global 9H Peter Straubinger

Period 2

Throughout written history, vast changes in social, political, and economic

establishments have been sparked by extraordinary people or conditions. Often, these

changes mark a turning point in the progress of civilization as new ideas are formed, new

governments raised, or new discoveries put to use in the interest of progress. Whether

these pivotal moments in history may be due to a single nonconforming person or a vast,

radical multitude, each turning point has certain specific influences and outcomes which

shaped the world for innumerable years.

On of history’s most major changes occurred in the 1500s, through the work of a

man named Martin Luther. A devout German monk, Martin Luther eventually sparked

one of the most major religious reformations in history. However, while Martin Luther’s

actions were the flame to the proverbial powder-keg, there were numerous influences

leading up to his actions. Since long before Luther’s time, many Catholic popes had

grown increasingly concerned with financial and or political issues, as opposed to

spiritual ones. Understandable, this undermined the faith of many in the Catholic church’s

leadership. In addition to the declining religious conduct of the various popes, clergy of

lower rank began to abuse their privileges, or outright ignore many of the church’s

teachings and requirements. Nationalism, too, was on the rise throughout Europe; as

people became more and more concerned with the affairs of their countries rather than

those of the church. The Popes began to lose their sway on Europe’s people. Lastly, the

invention of Gutenberg’s printing press allowed the spread of revolutionary and

nonconformist ideals which would previously have been quashed by the Catholic church.
One of the most widely protested acts of the Catholic church was the sale of indulgences.

This practice allowed sinners to repent by simply paying their way out of their

wrongdoing, rather than performing a pious act. Many people viewed this as greedy,

dishonest, and even blasphemous, and among these people was the cleric Martin Luther.

Luther was finally pushed to take action against the church by the acts of a man

named John Tetzel. Affiliated with the church, Tetzel was an indulgence salesman, and

represented much of what Martin Luther saw as corrupt and wrong in the church. In a

blatant act of rebellion, Luther posted his famous “95 Theses” on the doors of a church in

Wittenberg. These theses contained criticisms and condemnations of all that Luther saw

as sacrilegious and wrong within the church. While Luther was excommunicated and

declared as a heretic by the Catholic church, this did not stop the spread of his ideas.

Across Germany, more and more people began to follow Martin Luther’s teachings and

distance themselves from Roman Catholicism, eventually coming to be known as

Lutherans. As divides grew further and further, more reformations were sparked; Henry

VIII worked to form the Anglican church within England, while John Calvin began the

order of Calvinism within Switzerland. The Roman Catholic Church, in turn, began their

own catholic-counter reformation in order to attempt to reinstate Roman Catholicism as

the primary European religion. Looking back, it is apparent that Martin Luther prompted

a series of religious upheavals whose impacts sent shockwaves throughout the entire

world, and are felt even today in the barriers between various sects of Catholicism.

Going back many millennia, the Neolithic Revolution was another important

turning point in the development of humanity. Characterized by an increase in the use of

tools, agricultural methods, and government, the Neolithic Revolution is arguably what
birthed civilization as we know it today. Beginning in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle

East, the Neolithic Revolution was a great “push” in innovation by early man. While it is

difficult to discern what sparked the Revolution, many believe that an increase in social

interaction among humans, as well as a greater use of tools, may be responsible. Humans

devised how to domesticate various animals, ensuring a constant source of food. By

“breeding the best, and eating the rest”, early man was able to propagate his livestock for

future generations to profit from as well as gaining immediate sustenance for himself and

his kin. Humans slowly moved away from the hunter/gatherer methods of survival which

they had previously carried. Instead, they now worked stable sources of food, ensuring

that they and their neighbors would always have a supply of nourishment. The social

clustering of the Neolithic Eras slowly led to towns forming, as early humans staked out

permanent dwellings in which to live and propagate. These towns grew and grew until

cities formed, as mass hives of culture and interaction. The Neolithic Revolution is

responsible for the social structure we see today, based upon stable, renewable resources

rather than whatever food and shelter can be hunted or scrounged.

Though they may be divided by millennia, turning points throughout human

history can be shown as distinct and world-changing. Whether they be revolutions in

thought or upheavals of religion, the factors that contribute to pivotal moments in man’s

history carry just as much importance as the changes which stem from them, as these are

the changes which further and shape humanity’s civilization as a whole.