1. SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION

2. PRIOR TO THE AGE OF REASON Middle Ages Before Age of Exploration (1500s) Sources of “scientific thinking” were unreliable (world was flat?) Ancient Greeks and Romans Church Roman Catholic Church Powerful authority Beliefs based on faith and ancient teachings Accepted as the chief source of knowledge Despite the lack of proven data Punished dissenters heresy (going against the Church) excommunication (thrown out of Church)

3. IMPACT OF THE AGE OF EXPLORATION Global trade expanded knowledge and understanding of the world they were “discovering” New information challenged earlier beliefs Scientists had improved technology to study the world Microscope Telescope Astronomy Mathematics Scientists had empirical evidence (proof) to support new theories New theories challenged old traditional ideas

4. NEW THEORY ABOUT UNIVERSE Old Theory = Geocentric Theory Ancient Astronomer Ptolemy Believed Earth was center of universe Planets moved around Earth Little proof to support theory (only observation) Popular with Church (Book of Genesis) New Theory = Heliocentric Theory Proposed by Astronomer Copernicus Believed Sun was center of universe Planets moved around Sun Had mathematical and scientific evidence supporting it New theories challenged the authority of Church

6. OTHER MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS Galileo Supported heliocentric theory with experiments and use of improved telescope Added that planets orbit an elliptical path Condemned by the Church Charged with heresy and put under house arrest Newton Studied and defined laws of motion (physics) Used ideas about gravity to explain planetary motion Developed new area of math called calculus

7. SCIENTIFIC THINKING Scientific Method Steps to finding proof using reason Logical procedure to test theories Question Hypothesis Test Analyze data Conclusion Publication Printing press helped to spread ideas New knowledge shared quickly (books, pamphlets, letters) Research shared and expanded at faster pace

8. CHALLENGING THE CHURCH New knowledge changes thinking Based on reason and scientific thinking Replaced many beliefs Teachings from the Bible questioned Church’s power begins to weaken Slowly loses authority Political control on the line Governments impacted by reason = Enlightenment