1. Thursday Warm Up
Glue the reading passage about Galileo into the warm up section of your notebook
After reading the passage complete the following tasks:
Provide the passage with a title
Give me a definition(in your own words) for the following two words in the passage:
experiment
observation
“Within 24 hours, he had invented a telescope that could magnify things to make them appear ten times larger than real life.” Why is this sentence important in helping us understand Galileo?

2. Let’s Review
What is the Heliocentric Theory and how did it conflict with what the Church was teaching?

3. Models of the Solar System
Geocentric
Heliocentric
Left image retrieved from
Right image retrieved from 3

4. The Problem
On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
-Joshua 10:12-13
How does this passage from the Bible support the Geocentric Theory?
(Discuss with your table)

5. Portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus
First person to publish his support of the Heliocentric Theory
Waited until he was 70 years old to publish his book
Knew the Church would not support his theories
Image retrieved from
Portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus 5

6. Painting of the Council of Trent from the late 17th century
1545: Council of Trent meeting to stop the spread of Protestantism and to revive the Catholic Church
Declared that only the Catholic Church could interpret the Bible
Establishes the Holy Office of the Roman inquisition to persecute heretics
Image retrieved from
Painting of the Council of Trent from the late 17th century 6

7. Illustration of Galileo, date unknown
Born in Pisa, Italy in 1564
Very religious and considered being a monk at one point
Studied motion and physics
1609- constructed a telescope and his observations made him support Copernicus’ theory
Image retrieved from
Illustration of Galileo, date unknown 7

8. Conflict with the Church
The Church bans the works of Copernicus and others that support the Heliocentric Theory
Pope Urban VIII allowed Galileo to discuss Copernicus’ view
1632- Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems
Galileo is brought before the Inquisition and tried as a heretic
Image retrieved from
Galileo Galilei Showing the Doge of Venice How to Use the Telescope, painted in 1858 8

9. Central Historical Question
Was Galileo really a heretic? 9

10. Document Activity
At your table, each seat is going to be assigned a number 1-4
Refer to the illustration below to see what your seat number is 2 3 1 4

11. Document Activity Continued…
In the middle of your desk is four Documents
Each document is assigned to each seat as follows:
Seat 1= Document A
Seat 2= Document B
Seat 3= Document C
Seat 4= Document D
You will have 5 minutes to read the document and answer the question assigned to it(projected on the screen) on the piece of paper covering your table
After time is up you will rotate clockwise to the next seat until you have read and answer the question for each document

12. Document Questions
Document A:
How does Galileo defend himself against charges of being a heretic?
Document B:
Why do you think the Catholic Church was so committed to defending their interpretation of the Bible?
Document C:
By the end of the trial, what was the Catholic Church’s position on the heliocentric theory? Use examples from the document.
Document D:
Why do you think it was easier for the Church to side with Galileo in 1992 than in 1633? Explain.

13. Your Judgment Once you have analyzed all four documents
Log into Google Classroom
Open the Judgment of Galileo document
Put yourself at the trial of Galileo...
ON YOUR OWN come to a final decision on whether or not Galileo was a heretic
Be sure to provide reasons for your belief and to give examples from Documents A and B ONLY to support your answers.
These documents are attached to the Classroom assignment as well
Turn in the assignment once completed.

14. What happened to Galileo?
Galileo agrees to recant, take back his statements
Under the threat or punishment or torture
Sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life
Died in 1642
Image retrieved from
Galileo Facing Roman Inquisition, painted in 1857 14

15. Exit Ticket
The Catholic Church forced Galileo to recant his statements under threat of punishment. What long held belief of the Catholic Church is challenged by Galileo’s teachings?
The sun is at the center of the universe and the planets revolve around it
The earth is the center of the universe and everything revolves around it
The sun and the planets just float in space
The earth is the center of our world but it revolves around the sun

16. Exit Ticket
Galileo was brought before the Inquisition to be tried as a heretic. What ultimately happens to Galileo as a result of his teachings?
He is allowed to continue writing about his support of the Heliocentric Theory
He is allowed to continue writing about his support of the Geocentric Theory
He is sentenced to death due to his support of the Heliocentric Theory
He is forced to live the rest of his life on house arrest