The Scientific Revolution

Chapter 6

Section 1

Main IdeasMain Ideas

In the mid-1500s, scientists In the mid-1500s, scientists began to question accepted began to question accepted beliefs and make new theories beliefs and make new theories based on based on experimentationexperimentation..

Such questioning led to the Such questioning led to the development of the scientific development of the scientific method still in use today.method still in use today.

IntroductionIntroduction 1300-1600 = a time of great change 1300-1600 = a time of great change

in Europe.in Europe. The The RenaissanceRenaissance inspired a inspired a

curiosity in many fields.curiosity in many fields. Scholars began to Scholars began to questionquestion ideas. ideas. The The ReformationReformation prompted prompted

scholars to challenge accepted scholars to challenge accepted ways to think about God.ways to think about God.

While the Reformation was taking While the Reformation was taking place, another revolution in place, another revolution in European thoughtEuropean thought had begun. had begun.

Enlightenment Intro.asx

Think-Pair-ShareThink-Pair-Share

11stst – – ThinkThink to yourself about terms, people to yourself about terms, people and ideas from the Renaissance and and ideas from the Renaissance and Reformation.Reformation.

22ndnd – – PairPair up with the person beside you up with the person beside you and create a list of terms, people and ideas and create a list of terms, people and ideas you recall from the Renaissance and you recall from the Renaissance and Reformation.Reformation.

33rdrd – – ShareShare with the class. with the class.

The Roots of Modern ScienceThe Roots of Modern Science Before 1500, scholars decided Before 1500, scholars decided

what was true or false by referring what was true or false by referring to:to:Ancient Ancient GreekGreek or or RomanRoman authors authorsThe The BibleBible

A few Europeans challenged the A few Europeans challenged the scientific ideas of ancient scholars scientific ideas of ancient scholars or the church by carefully or the church by carefully observingobserving nature for themselves. nature for themselves.

The Medieval ViewThe Medieval View The Earth was:The Earth was:

immovableimmovable the the centercenter of the universe. of the universe.

Everything revolved around the Everything revolved around the EarthEarth.. This view is known as This view is known as

geocentricgeocentric theory. theory.Aristotle’sAristotle’s idea ideaPtolemyPtolemy expanded the theory. expanded the theory.ChristianityChristianity taught that God taught that God

had deliberately placed the had deliberately placed the earth at the center.earth at the center.

A New Way of ThinkingA New Way of Thinking

Mid-1500s, a few scholars published works Mid-1500s, a few scholars published works that challenged old ideas.that challenged old ideas.

New New theoriestheories replaced old assumptions. replaced old assumptions.Launched a change in European thought Launched a change in European thought

known as the known as the Scientific RevolutionScientific Revolution..The Scientific Revolution was a change in The Scientific Revolution was a change in

studystudy..

European ExplorationEuropean Exploration New land/new New land/new discoveriesdiscoveries Scientific researchScientific research

NavigationNavigation

New discoveries & New discoveries & observations did not match observations did not match ancientancient beliefs. beliefs.

Opened Europeans to the Opened Europeans to the possibility that there were possibility that there were more more truthstruths to be found. to be found.

A Revolutionary Model A Revolutionary Model of the Universeof the Universe

A small group of A small group of scholars began to scholars began to question question geocentric geocentric theorytheory……

The Heliocentric TheoryThe Heliocentric Theory

Nicolaus Nicolaus CopernicusCopernicusSunSun was center of the was center of the

universeuniversePlanetsPlanets & & starsstars revolved revolved

around the sun.around the sun.Known as the Known as the heliocentricheliocentric

theorytheory

Heliocentric Theory (cont.)Heliocentric Theory (cont.)

Problems:Problems:Did not explain whyDid not explain whyWent against Went against

religiousreligious views viewsDid not publish his Did not publish his

book until right before book until right before he died.he died.Why?Why?

Johannes Johannes KeplerKepler

Expanded on Copernicus’ ideasExpanded on Copernicus’ ideasProved that planets revolved around the Proved that planets revolved around the

sun sun ellipticallyelliptically

Galileo GalileiGalileo GalileiBuilt on new theories about Built on new theories about

astronomy.astronomy.Wrote Wrote Starry MessengerStarry Messenger

Described his observations Described his observations from his self-made from his self-made telescopetelescope..

Challenged by the Challenged by the churchchurch because it supported the because it supported the heliocentricheliocentric theory & it went theory & it went against church teaching.against church teaching.

GalileoGalileo What if the church was wrong What if the church was wrong

about the earth being the about the earth being the center of the universe?center of the universe? What might people do?What might people do?

Galileo had to stand Galileo had to stand trialtrial before the court.before the court.

To escape torture, he To escape torture, he “confessed” that the ideas of “confessed” that the ideas of CopernicusCopernicus were false. were false.

He was never again a free He was never again a free man – man – house arresthouse arrest

19921992, Catholic Church , Catholic Church admitted Galileo had been admitted Galileo had been right!right!

The Scientific MethodThe Scientific Method

Scientific MethodScientific Method – – a logical procedure a logical procedure for gathering and for gathering and testing ideas.testing ideas.

ObservationObservation QuestionQuestion HypothesisHypothesis ExperimentationExperimentation ConclusionConclusion

Francis BaconFrancis Bacon

Urged scientists to Urged scientists to experimentexperiment & draw & draw conclusions.conclusions. Not rely on Not rely on medievalmedieval

scholars.scholars. Called Called empiricismempiricism

Think-Pair-ShareThink-Pair-Share

11stst – – ThinkThink to yourself about the following the to yourself about the following the questions: questions: How do you determine if something is real?How do you determine if something is real? Do you think everyone determines truth in this Do you think everyone determines truth in this

same manner?same manner? What is the best way to determine a truth?What is the best way to determine a truth?

22ndnd – – PairPair up with the person beside you and create a up with the person beside you and create a list.list.

33rdrd – – ShareShare with the class. with the class.

Rene DescartesRene Descartes

““I think, therefore, I I think, therefore, I amam.”.”

Believed everything Believed everything should be should be doubteddoubted until proven by until proven by reason.reason.

Modern scientific Modern scientific methods are based methods are based on Descartes & on Descartes & Bacon. Bacon.

Bacon & Descartes.asx

Newton Explains the Newton Explains the Law of GravityLaw of Gravity

Believed all physical Believed all physical objects were affected objects were affected equally by the same forces.equally by the same forces.

According to his law of According to his law of universal gravitationuniversal gravitation, , every object in the universe every object in the universe attracts every other object.attracts every other object.

Degree of attraction Degree of attraction depends on the depends on the massmass & & distancedistance between them. between them. Isaac Newton.asx

The Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution SpreadsSpreads

Astronomers Astronomers were were busy exploring the busy exploring the secrets of the secrets of the universeuniverse..

Other scientists Other scientists began to study the began to study the secrets of nature on secrets of nature on earthearth..

Scientific InstrumentsScientific Instruments

Microscope - JanssenMicroscope - JanssenBarometer - TorricelliBarometer - TorricelliThermometer – FahrenheitThermometer – Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit/Celsius - Fahrenheit/Celsius - ScalesScales

Medicine & the Human BodyMedicine & the Human Body Galen, Greek physician, assumed Galen, Greek physician, assumed

human anatomy ~ human anatomy ~ animalanimal anatomy. anatomy. VesaliusVesalius, Flemish physician, proved , Flemish physician, proved

Galen’s assumptions wrong.Galen’s assumptions wrong. Robbed Robbed gravesgraves to get corpses for to get corpses for

dissection.dissection. Jenner, British physician, introduced a Jenner, British physician, introduced a

vaccine to prevent vaccine to prevent smallpoxsmallpox.. Injected the cowpox germs into Injected the cowpox germs into

humans = humans = immunityimmunity to smallpox. to smallpox.

Discoveries in ChemistryDiscoveries in Chemistry

Robert Boyle – Founder of Robert Boyle – Founder of modern modern chemistrychemistryChallenged Challenged Aristotle’sAristotle’s idea idea

that the physical world that the physical world consisted of consisted of fourfour elements elementsEarth, Air, Fire & WaterEarth, Air, Fire & Water

Proposed that matter was Proposed that matter was made up of smaller primary made up of smaller primary particlesparticles that joined that joined together in different ways.together in different ways.

Questioning ContinuesQuestioning Continues

People began to focus on People began to focus on humanhuman conditions, instead conditions, instead of just science.of just science.RightsRights & & libertiesliberties of citizens of citizensChallenged the relationship Challenged the relationship

between between governmentgovernment & its & its peoplepeople

Eventually changed the Eventually changed the politicalpolitical landscape in many landscape in many societies.societies.