Martin Luther and the Protestant reformation in Germany

Today you learned about Martin Luther and the Protestant reformation. Remember at this time in European the Catholic Church headed by the Popes was the only type of Christianity around. The Pope claimed complete control over peoples religious lives. Priests in the Catholic church were meant to tell the people what Christianity was and how to be a good Christian because few people could read the Bible themselves, for two reason, one- few people could read and books were so expensive and difficult to make.
When the printing press was invented books became easies to make and cheap and more people learned to read. A German Catholic priest named Martin Luther after reading the Bible became frustrated with the contradiction between the type of Christianity the Church was teaching and what the Bible taught. He was also upset with the church selling indulgences to finance the building of its expensive buildings and art work. One day Martin Luther wrote down 95 issues that he disagreed with the the church about and nailed the paper to the Church in the City of Worms in Germany. This was only meant to challenge the Church to change but int the end the Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther from the Church. This was the birth of the Protestant reformation.

Wartch these video clips about Martin Luther and write your opinion of this man and his desire to challenge the Catholic Church.
Site about Martin Luther's life watch then

Catholic selling of indulgences and Luther response the 95 thesis nailed to the church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSmv3kcwcus

Luther facing trial by the Catholic church leaders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF5b-6R9FVA

Luther after he leaves the Catholic Church and creates Lutheranism ( a type of Protestantism)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDNtN4tQb5k