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CHALLENGING AUTHORITY

Challenging Authority: Reformation Politics and Society, 1521-25

by Dwight Brautigam

The Reformation Went Well Beyond Theology

This game is designed to take students into three significant phases of the tumultuous first years of the Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther’s appearance before Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521, the three years of continuing reforms and challenges to secular rulers’ authority, and the tumultuous Peasants’ Revolt of 1524-25. In the course of the game students discover that challenges to authority, once underway, may take paths that no one anticipated and which shape history and society profoundly.

ABOUT THE GAME

Details

Disciplines
Conflict & War Studies, Cultural & Social History, Religion, Western Civ/History


Era 

16th Century


Geography 
Holy Roman Empire, Central Europe


Level
Short Game

Themes and Issues  
Religious Reformation, Social Tensions, Holy Roman Empire, Early Modern Europe, Class

Player Interactions 
Factional, Competitive, Coalition-Building


Sample Class Titles
Early Modern Europe Seminar, Western Civ.


Notable Roles
Martin Luther;

Charles V;

Desiderius Erasmus

Mechanics 
Secret Voting, Rolling Dice


Chaos and Demand on Instructor 
Medium chaos, Medium demand for instructors; The game is fairly structured but can become somewhat chaotic depending on decisions the characters make during the game.


Using the Game

Class Time  

"Challenging Authority" includes 4-5 total game sessions (this includes 1-2 set-up sessions and 3 game sessions).

Possible Reacting Game Pairings
This game can be used on its own, or with other games. These pairings are meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive or prescriptive. One might pair this with Augsburg 1530.


Assignments
You can adjust the assignments based on the desired learning outcomes of your class. "Challenging Authority includes the following writing assignments: Letter Writing, Post-Game Reflection

Not all roles are required to give a speech.


Class Size and Scalability
 
This game is recommended for classes with 12-39 students.

You can play the game with as few as 12 characters, but there are 39 available characters for larger classes. You can double up roles beyond 39 if needed. I recommend doubling major characters such as Martin Luther, Charles V, Erasmus and so on, though it's really up to the instructor's discretion. I would welcome additional role suggestions as well. 


GAME MATERIALS

Reacting Consortium members can access all downloadable materials (including expanded and updated materials) below. You will be asked to sign in before downloading.  

Please Fill out the Permissions Request Form Before Using Challenging Authority in Your Class!

Gamebook

Students need a Gamebook, which includes directions, resources, and historical content.

Download the Gamebook
(Members Only)

.pdf file, Updated July 2024

Instructor's Manual

The Instructor's Guide includes guidance for assigning roles, presenting the game's context and topics, assignments, and more.  The Role Sheets are also included in this document. 

Role Sheets and Labs

Students also need a Role Sheet, which contains biographical information, and their character's secret victory objectives.

Download Role Sheets (Members Only)
.zip folder of .pdf files, Updated July 2024


ABOUT THE AUTHORS 

Dwight Brautigam

Dwight Brautigam is Professor Emeritus of History at Huntington University, where he was a full-time professor in the History Department from 1987 to 2024. He received his BA in History from Houghton College, his MA in History from the University of Kentucky, and his PhD in History from the University of Rochester. His primary interests are in Early Modern European History with a focus on Tudor and Stuart English politics and religion.

QUESTIONS

Members can contact game authors directly

We invite instructors join our Facebook Faculty Lounge, where you'll find a wonderful community eager to help and answer questions. We also encourage you to submit your question for the forthcoming FAQ, and to check out our upcoming events


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reacting@barnard.edu

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