Aim: How did the Scientific Revolution change Western Europe?

Do Now: If you were a scientist, what would you try to accomplish and why?

I Science and the Middle AgesA) During the Muslim Golden Age, scientific experimentation was encouraged! They invented algebra, a vaccination for smallpox, and studied astronomy (the stars).B) In Medieval Western Europe, true science was rare. The exception were alchemists (they tried to change ordinary metals into gold), but they had to often hide their experiments from the Church, who discouraged scientific inquiry.

II Influence of the Renaissance

The Renaissance (15th – 16th centuries) led to the Scientific Revolution.

A) Humanism encouraged individual achievement, and knowledge of Classical civilizations (Greek and Roman).B) The printing press spread new knowledgeC) People began to question the Catholic Church

III The Earth vs. The SunA)In the middle ages, the Church endorsed the Geocentric Model of the universe.

- First believed by Ptolemy, an ancient Athenian astronomer - The earth is the center of the universe

The Earth vs. The Sun Continued…B) 1453 Nicolaus Copernicus , an astronomer and mathematician, proposed the Heliocentric Model of the universe. He argued that the sun, not the earth, is the center of the universe.

The Earth vs. The Sun Continued…Tycho Brahe (1546 – 1601) observed the movements of stars and planets every night for years, and recorded the data. His assistant, Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630), used Brahe’s data to prove that Copernicus’s Heliocentric model was correct.

Tycho Brahe

Johannes Kepler

Why do you think that Brahe and Kepler wanted to

gather more evidence? Wasn’t Copernicus’s

findings enough?

IV Galileo (1564 – 1642)A) In 1609 Galileo Galilei invented a refracting telescope, which allowed him to magnify celestial objects up to 30x their size.B) He was the first to observe 4 moons of Jupiter, and mountains on our moon. This added to the evidence of Brahe and Kepler that Copernicus was right!C) In 1633 Galileo was tried before the Inquisition for heresy. He was forced to recant (take back) his discoveries and to live under house arrest.

Jupiter and its 4 Largest Moons

Today scientists estimate that Jupiter has 60+ moons! Io (far left) is the most volcanic place in our galaxy. Europa (center left) has a surface made of water ice. It is possible

that a liquid ocean of water is under the ice… is there life there?

Primary Sources: Galileo Galilei1.“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same god who has

endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” – Galileo Galilei

2. …The proposition that the Sun is the center of the world and does not move from its place is absurd and false philosophically and formally heretical, because it is expressly contrary to Holy Scripture. – Trial of Galileo, June 1633

1. What does Galileo mean by quote #1? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

2. According to quote #2, why did the Church condemn Galileo?

3. If you were Galileo, what would you have said in your defense?

V Isaac NewtonA) Newton discovered the force of gravity is what keeps the planets in orbit around the sun.

B) Newton is also credited with inventing calculus.

Many historians believe that Gottfried Leibnitz actually invented calculus before

Newton, and that Newton stole the credit!

Newton

Liebnitz

A Black Hole, Gravity at its Finest!

VI Other Discoveries from the Scientific Revolution

Scientist Discovery

Leeuwenhoek Perfected the microscope.

Was the first to see

microorganisms.

Robert Boyle The first recognized

modern chemist. He argued

for the scientific method,

and that all matter consists

of tiny particles.

Priestly and

Levoisier

Discovered the existence

of oxygen.

VII Scientific MethodOver time, a step-by-step process of discovery developed that

became known as the scientific method.

VIII Philosophy and the Scientific RevolutionPhilosopher Their Philosophy

Rene

Descartes

Believed in the free will of man.

“The supreme perfection of man is

that he acts freely or voluntarily,

and it is this which makes him

deserve praise or blame

“I think therefore I am”

Francis Bacon He believed that science should

be useful, and help those in need.

Summary1. How was the Scientific Revolution related to the

Renaissance?2. Why did the Church condemn Galileo?3. List 4 scientists from the Scientific Revolution and their

achievements.4. Is the scientific method always necessary? Explain.5. Which philosopher (Descartes or Bacon) do you most

agree with? Explain.

Key VocabularyScientific RevolutionAlchemyNicolaus CopernicusTycho BraheJohannes KeplerGalileo GalileiRefracting TelescopeGeocentric ModelHeliocentric ModelScientific Method

Isaac NewtonRene DescartesFrancis Bacon