The Scientific Revolution & The Enlightenment World History: Europe

Background What did the Renaissance do? The Renaissance sparked interest and curiosity about many things, allowing people to start to think for themselves What did European Exploration do? New lands, people, and animals opened the idea that there were new truths to be discovered. New research and new equipment were developed and people looked more carefully at the world around them What did the Reformation question? The Reformation led people to question and challenge the original views of God, the church, and salvation

Background Scientific Revolution A new way of thinking about the natural world based upon careful observation and a willingness to questions accepted beliefs The Enlightenment A new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems This is also known as the Age of Reason

The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution ( CE) The Scientific Revolution was a new way of thinking about the natural world Based on: Careful observation of nature A willingness to question widely accepted beliefs Reason and logic Result  the expansion of scientific knowledge

Geocentric Theory vs. Heliocentric Theory Geocentric: Idea came from Aristotle, explained by Ptolemy God put the Earth at the center of the universe Heliocentric: Copernicus  studied planetary movements and concluded that the sun was at the center and planets/stars revolved around it Johannes Kepler  planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun

Galileo Galilei Astronomer, built his own telescope Published Starry Messenger  his findings supported Copernicus’ ideas Published Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems  his works angered the church Put on trial by the church in 1633 Under torture, he agreed the ideas of Copernicus were false Spent the rest of his life under house arrest

The Scientific Method A logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas Begins with a problem or question arising from an observation Advanced by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes

Isaac Newton Came up with the Law of Universal Gravitation (law of gravity) Wrote The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy one of the greatest scientific books ever written

The Scientific Revolution Spreads Scientific Instruments Microscope (bacteria, blood cells), mercury barometer, thermometer (Fahrenheit and Celsius) Medicine and the Human Body On the Structure of the Human Body (human anatomy book), smallpox vaccine Chemistry Robert Boyle is considered the founder of modern chemistry Boyle’s Law  explains how volume, temperature, and pressure of gas affect each other

The Scientific Revolution Spreads The ideas of reason and order soon spread from science to other areas of study Philosophers and scholars began to rethink long- standing ideas Focus on rights and liberties of ordinary citizens This challenged the relationship between government and its people, with many results

The Enlightenment

Background The Enlightenment A new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems A result of the ideas from the Scientific Revolution Sought new insights on government, religion, economics, and education

The Start of the Enlightenment Started from some key ideas put forth by two English political thinkers of the 1600s: Thomas Hobbes  Social Contract John Locke  Natural Rights Both wrote about government and human nature but each had very different conclusions!!

Thomas Hobbes – Social Contract Wrote The Leviathan (1651) Influenced by the English Civil War He believed: All humans were naturally selfish and wicked (acted in their own self-interest) Countries needed a ruler with total power to keep the citizens under control They needed a social contact  an agreement in which the people hand over their rights to a strong ruler and in exchange they gain law and order

John Locke – Natural Rights Wrote Two Treatises on Government People have the ability to reason and to make good decisions if given the proper information All people are born free with three natural rights  life, liberty, and property Governments should exist to protect these rights Governments should be formed with the approval (consent) of the people People, not god, should choose leaders

Philosophes - France Believed people could apply reason to all aspects of life Five core beliefs: 1. Reason 2. Nature 3. Happiness 4. Progress 5. Liberty

Voltaire – French Philosophe French writer – wrote over 70 books Used his writing to fight for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech Believed in the separation of church and state

Baron de Montesquieu – Separation of Powers French political thinker, wrote The Spirit of Laws A monarchy with limited power makes a country stable and secure Developed the idea of “separation of powers” Government should be divided or spread out among different branches of government so no one individual or group has too much power and as a result threatens liberty

Jean Jacques Rousseau Wrote The Social Contract Swiss philosopher Direct Democracy—where people vote in person to make all laws—was the way to protect individual freedom Government should be a contract between rulers and the people

Cesare Beccaria Wrote On Crimes and Punishments Felt that many parts of the justice system were unfair: Torture Secret trials Harsh sentences Corrupt judges His book called for punishments designed to preserve security and order

Mary Wollstonecraft – Women’s Rights Enlightenment thinkers had many traditional views on women – limited education, focus on home life, inequality in marriage, ect. She wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women Women should have an education because it’s the key to gaining equality Urged women to enter into male dominated fields such as medicine and politics

Adam Smith - Economics Scottish moral philosopher and economist, father of “modern economics” Most famous work is The Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations Collection/study of what builds a nation’s wealth Discusses division of labor, productivity, and free markets

Legacy of the Enlightenment Enlightenment thinkers encouraged reform but were not active revolutionaries However, their ideas inspired future revolutions Three Long-Term Effects on Western Civilization 1. Belief in Progress 2. A More Secular Outlook 3. Importance of the Individual

Effects on Society Religion Political Theory Economic Theory Education Psychological Theory Gender Theory

An Important Note As We Move Forward! Most Enlightened thinkers opposed democracy Supported some level of autocratic rule but… The benefits were supposed to be for the people NOT for personal power but for the welfare of the people THIS DID NOT ALWAYS WORK AS IT SHOULD!

An Important Note As We Move Forward! When “enlightened rulers” didn’t take care of the people…enlightened thinkers realized there had to be a way to create change The concept of revolution was validated as a legitimate means to produce social and political change