1524 Dbq

In 1526 there was a food shortage which sparked a peasant revolt. Many reasons for reform were given by the peasants (high taxes, no compensation, seizure of public land). At the same time Martin Luther had just separated from the Catholic Church, on the basis of everyone can get to heaven and all are equal in the eyes of God. This helped to fuel the revolts and give them legitimacy. There are always many sides to a historical event that is why equal amounts of each side and impartial sources are essential in understanding. In 1526 peasants and lords were working through their disputes with one another and when religion intervened thing became violent.

The peasants believed that their fight was based on just principles of freedom and equality. They, to accomplish their goals began to write their demands to the lords that governed them in very forceful language, that foreshadows their actions. As said in document two, “Lords should no longer try to force more services and other dues from peasants without compensation”, peasants were taking their demands strait to the lords. In document three, the peasants choose to legitimize their fight by using Lutheran teaches, by claiming that because they are all equal in the sight of …show more content…
In document one is written by a nobleman who knows how the peasants feel about this rebellion. He claims that Luthan teachings have caused this and that peasants are low intelligence second class citizens. In document four, the lord's explain that they purchased their right to control the serfs and that serfdom is no hindrance to getting to heaven. However the most telling part of this document shows how the lords would release the serfs if they paid a ‘reasonable amount’ of money. This is how the lord's make the serfs believe that they can actually escape serfdom while never letting them out. This proves that the lords are only self