Chapter 16 Notes Transformations in Europe, 1500 ? 1750 Culture and Ideas Early Reformation Renaissance (European) ? A period of intense artistic and intellectual activity, said to be a ?rebirth? of Greco-Roman culture Usually divided into an Italian Renaissance, from the mid fourteenth to mid fifteenth century, and a North (trans-Alpine) Renaissance, from roughly the early fifteenth to early seventeenth century. papacy ? the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church, which is the pope indulgence ? forgiveness of a sin by the authority of the Church in exchange for a holy act Indulgences could be paid for and was looked down on. Martin Luther ? 1483-1546 started the Protestant Reformation in 1519 Protestants rejected the medieval traditions of celibate priests and nuns