Explain the Reformation, why it started, key reformers and what changes occurred?

Explain the Reformation, Why It Started, Key Reformers and What Changes Occurred
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The Reformation
The Protestant Reformation or simply The Reformation took place in the 16th Century and was a very defining period in the history of the Church. The Reformation grew out of Renaissance, another important event in European history. Unlike other revolutions, the Reformation was targeted towards the entire system of Christianity.
Why it started
The first cause of Reformation was Renaissance, which had brought many changes in the lives of Europeans. It resulted in the exploration of new lands in other parts of the world as well as major advancements in science among other developments. Due to these major developments, Europeans led by religious thinkers started questioning their institutions and began criticizing the Church and pushing for change. This long process of changing the Church was the Reformation. The key reformers challenged a corrupt and vast Roman Catholicism on critical matters for instance authority, the role of priests, the use of the Bible in church and also the interpretation of the Eucharist.
Secondly, the Protestant Reformation arose due to the corruption and abuses that was common in the Roman Catholic Church. People were frustrated with the decay of philosophy and theology with a resultant low standard of spiritual life among the Christian people. Many people were also not pleased with the running of the church and its leadership. For instance, the higher clergy had extended to themselves immense power, privilege and wealth and many other clergies lived lives of wickedness and carelessness which some attributed to be a direct working of the devil. The main aim of the Protestant Reformation and revolting against the Catholic Church was therefore to purify Christianity and the godliness of life.
Key reformers
Martin Luther who exposed corruption within the Catholic religion and he unsuccessfully appealed to the Pope to correct abuses in the Roman Catholic Church. He initiated the Reformation and founded the Lutheran Church. Desiderius Erasmus was another key reformer who published the Greek-Latin New Testament, which brought a new light on the view of religion and enabled people to realize that the Catholic Church needed serious reorgani...