1. The Scientific Revolution

2. From Magic to Science
In the 1500s most Europeans saw science as the same thing as magic – and magic was evil!
The Renaissance in Europe caused people to become curious and to explore new ways to explain everyday life.
Life was seen more as a mystery that needed to be solved.
During the Scientific Revolution, people began using experiments and mathematics to understand the mysteries of life.
These experiments led to the development of science.

3. The New Study of Nature
Scientists spent much of their time studying the world around them.
They observed events and phenomena that did not coincide with their traditional beliefs, so they began to question what they had been taught.
They developed the Scientific Method to answer questions.

4. The Scientific Method
The scientific method is a way to answer specific questions by making observations and performing experiments.

5. Astronomy
Until this time, people believed that the universe was geocentric – the sun and planets revolve around the Earth.
In the early 1500s, Nicolaus Copernicus argued that the universe was heliocentric – that the Earth, and other planets revolved around the sun.
The problem was that Copernicus had no way to prove his theory.
It was not until later that Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei helped prove his theory correct.

6. Astronomy Kepler was a German astronomer.
He used models, observations, and mathematics to test the heliocentric theory.
He published his agreement with the theory in 1609, but could not provide clear evidence.
Galileo built a telescope to study the heavens.
He used the findings of his study to draw sketches of what he saw and argue that all planets revolved around the sun.

7. Astronomy The findings of Kepler and Galileo caused a scandal!
The church disapproved of their work because they believed it contradicted the Bible.
In 1687, Isaac Newton added to the work of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo.
He agreed with their heliocentric theory, but he wanted to know why the planets moved like they did.
He proposed the law of universal gravitation – all objects attract each other.
This tied together the movement of all things in the heavens and on Earth.

8. René Descartes Descartes was a leader in the Scientific Revolution.
His ideas led to advances in math, science, and philosophy.
Wrote Discourse on Method, which said that all assumptions had to be proven with known facts.
Believed all fields of knowledge are connected.
Much of his work challenged Church teachings.

9. The Triumph of Science
The effects of discoveries made during the Scientific Revolution had a great impact on Europe.
Scientists now believed that the scientific method could be used as a map in the search for all kinds of knowledge.
During the Counter-Reformation, religious orders like the Jesuits spread Christianity and knowledge of science throughout Europe and parts of Asia.
The invention of the printing press made it possible for scientists to publish and distribute their work.

10. The Triumph of Science
Made many advances that were useful during expansion and exploration.
Improved map making
Invention of the compass – showed direction
Better ships that could withstand long voyages