Major Figures of the 17th Century

Both rulers and writers have made significant impacts on the course of European history in their own respective ways. Such rulers include Elizabeth I, Louis XIV, Peter the Great, and Napolean and such writers include Martin Luther, Issac Newton, and Voltaire. Martin Luther’s legacy is defined by his role in sparking the Protestant Reformation that completely changed the practice of religion throughout the world. Luther’s main complaint was how corrupt the Catholic church had become by selling “indulgences” and claiming that your right to heaven could be earned through good deeds and charity. . The real impact of his posting of the famous “95 thesis,” was not fully realized until an unknown person translated his document from German to Latin and published it, with the help of Guttenberg’s new printing press. Displeasure with the corruption of the church was already becoming more popular throughout Europe, but it wasn’t until the publication of Luther’s writings that the Reformation gained any real momentum. By the publication and distribution of his writings alone, Martin Luther helped to change the Church that had all but ruled Europe for the majority of history before him. Issac Newton is another example of someone who made a significant impact on history through his writings alone. Newton’s work marked the culmination of the scientific revolution in the 17th century. His findings broke new ground in optics, mathematics, gravity, and other laws of motion. Not through war, but scientific and mathematical research alone, Newton helped the world understand how the universe works, and many of his findings are still used to this day. Voltaire is a French philosopher, poet, and historian that is most known for his writings on civil liberties, specifically the right to a fair trial and freedom of religion. He distrusted democracy, which he saw as propagating the idiocy of the masses. He denounced the injustices of the unfair balance of power between