Scientific Revolution (1500s-1600s)

Overview Main Idea: In the mid-1500s, scientists began to question accepted beliefs and make new theories based on experimentation. Contemporary relevance: Such questioning led to the development of the scientific method still in use today. Vocabulary: geocentric theory, scientific revolution, heliocentric theory, scientific method, Isaac Newton

Scientific Revolution? Revolution: a substantial change in the way something works or is organized, or in the way people think. Scientific revolution: a new way of thinking about the natural world based on careful observation and mathematical calculation.

Causes of Scientific Revolution European exploration in Africa, Asia, and the Americas during the Renaissance new truths to be found European exploration  scientific research in astronomy and mathematics  navigational instrument, geographic measurements Invention of printing press  spread of challenging ideas

Conflicting Views of the Solar System Geocentric theory: a system which puts the Earth in the center of the solar system Created by Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, developed by Ptolemy Christians taught that God intentionally placed Earth in the center of the solar system

Conflicting Views of the Solar System Heliocentric Theory- system that places the sun at the center of the solar system. Developed by astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus Waits to publish his book On the Revolution of Heavenly Bodies until the last year of his life Danish mathematician, Johannes Kepler, demonstrated mathematically that Copernicus’s basic ideas were true.

Galileo Constructed a telescope to observe the rotation of planets Supported Copernicus’ heliocentric theory experiments to show that the velocity of falling bodies depends not on their weight but the height from which they fall modern law of inertia He was put on trial by the Catholic church because his ideas contradicted against its teachings

The Scientific Method The scientific method is a step-by-step process to ask and answer scientific questions by making observations and doing experiments. The Scientific Method led to a shift in the way people understood the world.

Key figures Francis Bacon Empiricism/experimental method: experiment and draw conclusion Descartes Use mathematics and logic Everything should be doubted until proved by reason “I think, therefore I am” Issac Newton Developed calculus Law of universal gravitation God as the clockmaker

Effects of Scientific Revolution The spread of new ideas throughout Europe Challenged the traditional authority of the catholic church New ideas of this period directly led to the Enlightenment

Regents Question Francis Bacon, Galileo, and Isaac Newton promoted the idea that knowledge should be based on the experiences of past civilizations experimentation and observation emotions and feelings the teachings of the Catholic Church