The century after the Reformation was an extremely violent one in Europe. Protestants and Catholics completed unspeakable atrocities on each other. Wars raged for decades at a time.

The period is significant for both European History and US History. In the European context, the wars and the eventual peace (the Peace of Westphalia) created the basis of the modern state system. In the American context, religious violence and persecution encouraged many people to flee to the British and French colonies.

Check out this lesson plan on religious violence. It involves a good anticipatory set, working with some primary documents, and challenging students to write creatively. Quite a powerful lesson, overall, and students are unlikely to forget the content.

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