The Scientific Revolution and The Enlightenment

Old Ideas The Church was the highest authority and taught scientific knowledge based on the Bible Earth was center of the universe Old ideas from medieval times were followed and anything different was challenged!

GOALS of the Scientific Revolution Changes in ideas and thoughts New way of learning about the natural world No more depending on authority…use experiments and prove it yourself ABOVE ALL – think in a LOGICAL, orderly way

The Scientific Revolution Started in the mid-1500s, and lasted until the late 1600’s. Discoveries were made in the following areas: Astronomy Scientific Method Anatomy Chemistry Physics

Nicolaus Copernicus Polish scholar, proposed a heliocentric model of the universe…HUH? He said the sun was the center of the universe Earth was round

Galileo Created the telescope to prove Copernicus was right People attacked him because his ideas contradicted the church and he questioned all old ideas He had to publicly denounce his ideas or die! Excommunicated from the church and lived on house arrest

Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes This revolution brought about new thinkers, ideas, and a return to Greek and Roman ideas Created investigations including the scientific method to prove how truth is determined… the ideas used in science and experiments

Improvements in Medicine and Chemistry Study of human body and anatomy improved New ointments for infection, surgical techniques and instruments, and artificial limbs Others studied the circulation of the blood and the heart The microscope was invented and helped with new discoveries There were many experiments with chemicals

Sir Isaac Newton Proved why the planets moved He used math to prove his ideas of gravity The universe was orderly and logical

The Scientific Revolution Recap- The Scientific Revolution was a period of changing ideas about science and the scientific thinking process. Think logically and experiment to prove it!

The Enlightenment A time period (1600s-1700s) when European philosophers developed new ways of thinking. Insisted REASON could solve every social, political, and economic problem.

New beliefs…how will life change? Ask difficult questions and search for the truth about how nature and human societies work Reform society by using reason Give all people freedoms/rights they deserve Took place all over Europe, centered in Paris

Thomas Hobbes Englishman who published book about government. People are born greedy and selfish and need a powerful government to make them behave well. He taught government was a social contract. People gave up some freedom to gain an organized society.

John Locke Englishman who published book about governments People are reasonable and will act orderly People have natural rights Life Liberty, and Property A ruler’s job is to protect the rights of citizens The best government is one with limited power. If a government doesn’t do it’s job, the people have a duty to overthrow it.

Baron de Montesquieu Frenchman who studied ancient Rome and other governments Published a book in 1748 that said people in a needed to elect leaders who would serve the good of the community Admired English government which has a Parliament to make laws, king to enforce laws, and courts to interpret laws. This is called separation of powers or checks and balances.

Jean Jacques Rousseau French thinker who disagreed with Hobbes and Locke He believed people are born good and civilizations make them bad. Peasants are as good as kings and nobles and no one deserves special privileges. All humans are equal.

Voltaire French writer, philosopher, and historian Wrote poetry and plays criticizing the wealth and privileges of the kings and nobility He was jailed twice but never gave up Defended a person’s right to think and to say anything…”I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Supported freedom of religion, speech, press for everyone and that governments had to respect these rights

The Enlightenment Recap- A long period of changing philosophical thought that brought about increased human rights and freedoms that impacted society, government, and laws to this day.