The Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment

Europe Review & Timeline ’s - Age of Revolutions & The Enlightenment (… The Age of Reason)  Scientific Revolution: new way of looking at the world based on observation and questioning  Enlightenment: growing belief in the power of reason and the power of human potential

Scientific Method- step-by-step procedure of investigating and experimentation to prove a theory

Astronomy – Copernicus: came up with the heliocentric theory- idea that the earth goes around the sun – Kepler: used math to support heliocentric theory and that planets orbit the sun in an oval pattern called an ellipse – Galileo Galilei Invented the telescope, proved heliocentric theory Catholic Church forced him to say he disagreed with Copernicus

More Scientists… – Francis Bacon- English writer who encouraged scientists to use scientific experimentation to gain knowledge by using the scientific method – Descartes- Emphasized knowledge gained only from personal experience and logic – Sir Isaac Newton- “Father of Physics” Developed Calculus Law of gravity- all objects attracted to each other

Other Important Scientists – Andreas Vesalius - made drawings of anatomy – Robert Boyle- father of chemistry – Celsius- created a better temperature scale

The Ideas of the Enlightenment – The Scientific Revolution convinced people in the power of reason which help lead to: – The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that promoted the power of human reason to make change – Paris was the center, salons were upper class social gatherings that promoted Enlightenment philosophers, artists, and writers

Changing Ideas about Government A social contract is an agreement between the people and their government to give up part of their freedom in exchange for protection for all Thomas Hobbes wrote during English Civil War that humans were evil and need strong kings to keep them safe

Changing ideas about Government John Locke: Wrote Second Treatise of Law during the time of the Glorious Revolution People were naturally good and born with rights of life, liberty, and property that the government should protect

Changing ideas about Government Baron de Montesquieu: Wrote Spirit of the Laws during the reign of Louis XV Government should be separated into branches to prevent one part from getting too much power

Changing Ideas about Society Voltaire: Believed in freedom of religion and separation of Church and State Advocated liberty and freedom of speech Adam Smith Wrote The Wealth of Nations (1776) Believed in the laissez-faire- free market economy without government intervention

The Scientific Revolution & The Enlightenment lead to many political and social revolutions throughout the world. … Starting with the American Revolution! american+revolution