The Enlightenment Pgs

Medieval Science Most scholars determined what was true or false based on the early Greeks and Romans, or the Bible Many believed in the geocentric theory the universe revolved around the Earth Christians believed that God deliberately placed the Earth at the center

Scientific Revolution Scholars began to develop new theories about science and the natural world These theories were based on careful observation and willingness to question accepted beliefs Discoveries, and fortunate circumstances, led to the scientific revolution Scholars began to travel to Asia, Africa, and the Americas The Printing Press helped spread new and challenging ideas

The Heliocentric Theory Scholars began to dispute the claims of the geocentric theory Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish cleric and astronomer, was troubled by this theory Copernicus focused on an ancient idea that the sun was the center of the universe He studied the stars for 25 years and concluded that the sun was at the center Called the Heliocentric Theory He did not publish his findings until the end of his life because he feared ridicule and persecution

Galileo Galilei At 17 years old Galileo disproved one of Aristotle’s theory’s He then discovered that a falling object accelerates at a fixed and predictable rate He disproved Aristotle’s idea that heavier objects fall faster Galileo had learned of a lens that could see far off objects He then improved the invention creating the telescope in 1609 Which he used to study the heavens Both Catholic and Protestant leaders feared Galileo’s findings Galileo was warned not to support these ideas When he ignored the warnings, he was summoned to Rome and the Inquisition He read a signed confession that his findings were false Lived under house arrest until his death

Scientific Method All of the new theories and ideas developed led to the development of the scientific method A logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas Two men Francis Bacon and Rene’ Descartes helped create this approach They believed scientists should discard old ways of thought and pursue actual proof Modern science is based on these foundations Observation, experimentation, scientific reasoning, to form conclusions

Sir Isaac Newton A mathematician and Physicist from Cambridge He studied the theories of those before him, Galileo, Copernicus, etc… Newton combined all of the ideas about space and motion into 3 laws The most important law was “the Law of Universal Gravitation”

The Scientific Revolution Spreads Based on new theories and ideas, new inventions were created Microscopes(1590) Mercury Barometer(1643) Thermometer(1714) Greek ideas that the human body was designed similarly to those of pigs was disproved when physicians began to dissect human corpses In the early 1700’s vaccine’s were introduced to battle small pox Chemists also began to question Aristotle’s belief that their were only 4 elements All of these inventions led to dramatic changes in how people viewed the world

Europe’s Enlightenment Enlightenment was also known as the Age of Reason A new view on government arose: The Social Contract The Social Contract developed the idea of the government’s power comes from the consent of the governed Governments agree to protect individual rights Citizens agree to live in an ordered society Three thinkers used the social contract to end up with different governing structures Absolute Monarchy Liberal Monarchy Liberal Republicanism

Absolute Monarchy Thomas Hobbes wrote Leviathan which expressed the Horrors of the English civil war He felt humans were naturally selfish and wicked He believed to create order people gave up their rights to a strong ruler Hobbes felt absolute monarchy was ideal and could impose order and demand obedience

Liberal Monarchy John Locke had a more positive view of human nature He felt people were born free and equal with three natural rights: 1. Life 2. Liberty 3. Property The government’s job was to protect these rights If the government failed the people had the right to overthrow it The best government structure to do that was a constitutional monarchy

Liberal Constitutionalism Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed in democracy more than the previous two thinkers He wrote a book called On the Social Contract Liberty is only possible if everyone participates in the writing of that law

Separation of Powers Baron de Montesquieu, a French writer, was devoted to the study of political liberty He believed Britain had the best government because the power was divided between the king and Parliament He called the division between different branches of government separation of powers He felt ”Power should be a check to power” Meaning each branch of the gov’t would check the other His ideas became the basis for the U.S. Constitution

John Locke Thomas Hobbes Baron de Montesquieu

The Enlightenment’s Impact Over a few decades new ideas and philosophies challenged old ways Progress in science, nature, medicine, politics, and society was happening and people were behind it People began to have a more secular outlook Many openly questioned religious beliefs and church teachings Individualism was beginning People began to look to themselves for guidance in what is right and wrong Rather than a king or pope