Martin Luther Changed History

Martin Luther changed history in the 1500's. In 1517 Luther took a public stand against friar Johann Tetzel. Tetzel was selling indulgences by telling people they could buy there way into heaven. Luther was outraged by Tetzel's actions. In response to Tetzel Martin Luther wrote 95 Theses, attacking "pardon-merchants." On October 31, 1517, he put the 95 Theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, and invited people to debate him. Someone copied the theses and took it to the printer. Luther was quickly known all over Germany, because of the theses, and it led to the Reformation. Many people were unhappy with the church and they thought Luther's protests were a way to challenge church control.

In 1520, Pope Leo X issued a decree stating that Luther would be excommunicated unless he took back his statements. Luther would not take back his statements, and his students had a bonfire and threw the Pope's decree into the fire. Luther was then excommunicated. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V also opposed Luther's teachings. He sent Luther to the town of Worms in 1521 to stand trial, and Luther still refused to take back his statements. Emperor Charles issued an imperial order called the Edict of Worms. The Edict of Worms declared Luther an outlaw and ordered that no one in the empire was allowed to supply Luther with food or shelter. Luther went back to Wittenberg in 1522 and discovered that his ideas were being put into practice. Luther and his followers formed a new religion called Lutheran, which is still being used today. In conclusion, with Luther being excommunicated, and starting his own religion with so many followers, there is proof, and that's why I believe that history didn't change

Martin Luther, Martin Luther definitely changed history.