Few scholars openly challenged the accepted theories of the past GEOCENTRIC THEORY –Earth - center of the universe, everything else moved around the Earth. –Supported by Aristotle and Ptolemy (Greek) Before the Scientific Revolution…

SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION Late Middle Ages (Mid- 1500s), new ideas challenged old …called the scientific revolution! Brought forth by exploration and learning done during the Renaissance ( )

COPERNICUS Circa 1500 in Prussia Astronomy: the study of stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies HELIOCENTRIC THEORY: –sun is the center of the universe & fixed –gravity: center of earth & lunar sphere –“movement” of stars is actually earth rotating

TYCHO BRAHE Denmark, late 1500s Differed with Copernicus Sun & moon revolved around Earth Made important observations & recorded data

JOHANNES KEPLER Germany, early 1600s Follower of Heliocentric Theory planets move in elliptical orbits (not circles) Laws of planetary motion Solar System

GALILEO GALILEI Italy, early 1600s Astronomer, physicist, mathematician & philosopher The Experimental Method: “father of modern science” Supported Copernicus Used improved telescope to observe the location and relationship of heavenly bodies

Studied time using pendulums –Weights hung to swing freely Gravity experiments –Elaborated on work of Aristotle –Determined that all objects fall at the same rate

THE CHURCH INTERFERES The church felt its authority threaten by new discoveries in science Were especially against Heliocentric Theory –God’s Earth was at the center of the universe Galileo was brought to trial in 1633 –Roman Inquisition found him “vehemently suspect of heresy” –Galileo was forced to recant, held under house arrest until he died in 1642

1771: Ban on printing his works lifted 1992: the year the Catholic Church finally acknowledged that Galileo was correct! Thanks… I guess.

SCIENTIFIC METHOD people began to base science on observation and experimentation …not ancient authorities and the church Logical procedure for gathering information and testing ideas 1.Derive a question based on observation 2.Formulate a hypothesis 3.Test hypothesis 4.Analyze and interpret data into a conclusion

FRANCIS BACON England, early 1600s Argued for empirical experimental methods –Practical & useful… and profitable Championed & made popular scientific innovation

RENE DESCARTES France, early 1600s Influential, original thinker Mathematics, philosophy Doubt everything Start with evidence, use deductive reasoning to create scientific laws

ISAAC NEWTON England, late 1600s United experimentation and theoretical math Created mathematical laws that explain motion & mechanics Famous gravity experiments

WOMEN IN SCIENCE? Learning institutions & societies of the era excluded women. Some noblewomen and artisans engaged via male family members Male scientists suggested that female minds were inferior to men’s

IMPACT New advancements in science brought new ideas in other areas… If the government & church was wrong about old science, it could be wrong about other areas of life as well People begin to think differently about their religious institutions and governments