What was the conflict that set off all other conflicts in europe during the sixteenth century?

The Protestant Reformation was the central conflict. However,it didn't set off all other conflicts - the Valois-Hapsburg Wars that lasted until 1559 had nothing to do with religion,as both sides were Catholic.

the committees of correspondence were the american colonies’ means for maintaining communication lines in the years before the revolutionary war. in 1764, boston formed the earliest committee of correspondence to encourage opposition to britain’s stiffening of customs enforcement and prohibition of american paper money. the following year, new york formed a similar committee to keep the other colonies notified of its actions in resisting the stamp act. in 1773, the virginia house of burgesses proposed that each colonial legislature appoint a committee for intercolonial correspondence. the exchanges that followed built solidarity during the turbulent times and bring about the formation of the first continental congress in 1774.