Test questions on the Peace of Augsburg: Practice for the AP Exam

📚 Topic Summary

The Peace of Augsburg, signed in 1555, was a landmark treaty that attempted to resolve the religious conflicts arising from the Protestant Reformation in the Holy Roman Empire. It established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio, meaning "whose realm, his religion." Essentially, the ruler of each state within the Empire had the right to determine the religion of their territory. While it brought a period of relative peace, it also had limitations, such as only recognizing Lutheranism and Catholicism, excluding other Protestant denominations like Calvinism.

🧠 Part A: Vocabulary

Match the following terms with their definitions:

1. Term: Cuius regio, eius religio
2. Term: Holy Roman Empire
3. Term: Lutheranism
4. Term: Protestant Reformation
5. Term: Peace of Augsburg

1. Definition: A major 16th-century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.
2. Definition: The religious doctrine that Martin Luther developed; it differed from Catholicismin the doctrine of salvation, which Luther believed could be achieved through faith alone, not by good works
3. Definition: A complex political entity in Central Europe, existing from 962 to 1806.
4. Definition: The principle that the religion of the ruler dictates the religion of the ruled.
5. Definition: The 1555 agreement that allowed Holy Roman Empire princes to choose either Catholicism or Lutheranism as the religion of their territory.

✍️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following paragraph with the correct terms:

The ___________ sought to address religious tensions within the ___________. It introduced the principle of ___________, which allowed rulers to choose between ___________ and ___________. However, it did not extend recognition to other Protestant faiths, such as ___________.

🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking

Explain how the Peace of Augsburg both resolved and perpetuated religious conflict in the Holy Roman Empire.