1. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
Reactions by
Both men
And women
Context for DBQ

2. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
EFFECT ON WOMEN
Little change in views of women’s inferiority or restriction of women’s roles
In many ways, may have deepened inferiority & restrictions
But women participated in new scientific discoveries
Male Reactions: Contradicted the traditional role of women ( Doc #1) …she neglected her household
Attractiveness over cerebral ( doc #3)…had been attractive ( but)… nor did I hear her say anything worth hearing

3. Men’s reactions continued…
As husband and collaborator ( doc #4) astronomical research ( favorable)
(Doc #6) suggests the legality of women receiving a doctorate from university ( does not oppose education in music and art ( definitely unfavorable but moderate in its approach that women could receive some education)
(Doc #5) unfavorable that women should be granted entry into the academy of science in Berlin( even though Maria Winkleman is a widow ( suggesting some compassion) there is ridicule of her contributions

4. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Persistence of ancient ideas
Aristotle, Hippocrates & Galen
“Four humors”
Misconceptions about female physiology

5. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
New views & discoveries
Greater accuracy in understanding female anatomy
Led to notion of pervasiveness of gender differences

6. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
WOMEN IN SCIENCE
MARIA CUNITZ ( )
Made important discoveries in astronomy
Proficient in 7 languages, mathematics, medicine, history, music, painting & poetry ( additional document to illustrate contributions made)
Crater Cunitz on Venus

7. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
WOMEN IN SCIENCE
MARGARET CAVENDISH ( )
Wrote 7 works of science & philosophy
Promoted individual rational capacity ( another additional document)

8. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
WOMEN IN SCIENCE
ANNA MARIA VAN SCHURMAN ( )
Widely renowned for knowledge
Promoted women’s education for moral improvement ( yet another additional document)

9. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
WOMEN IN SCIENCE
EMILIE DU CHATELET, ( )
First (and only) to translate Newton’s work into French
Published own original works building on Newtonian ideas( oh my, yet another additional document)

10. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
PERISTENCE OF OLD BELIEFS
Demons, devils
Witch Hunts
SABBATS, ritual murder, cannibalism
15th - 18th 100,000 executed for witchcraft

11. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
PERISTENCE OF OLD BELIEFS
Witch Hunts
82% of accused = women
Accusations included strong sexual component
Targets =
non-conforming women
marginalized women
midwives

12. WOMEN AND THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
PERISTENCE OF OLD BELIEFS
Witch Hunts
First conducted by religious authorities
Process taken over by secular courts by 17th c.
Used torture to extract “confessions”
“Water torture”
“Witch chair”

13. Thesis: The reaction of women’s participation within the scientific
Revolution was politically eschewed ( dismissed) by Royal societies and
Universities alike , men predominantly believed that a women’s role was
Household although many would contribute as collaborators. While
Many women would advance the cause of science, their male ( and female)
Detractors would prevent their admission into royal societies, universities
And publishing marginalizing their historical role in the scientific
Revolution. An additional document from Maria Cunitz’s journal
Would provide an insider’s view of someone who provided advances
In astronomy and who was highly educated to illustrate the myriad
Obstacles she had to endure to remain relevant in a time when women
Were not taken seriously.