The Scientific Revolution was born in Europe in the 1500s, in context of the Middle Ages. It was a period of general instability, with a population more concerned with survival than intellectual pursuits. The dominant Church established laws and norms which were influenced by religious mysticism and discouraged scientific inquiry, as it was often inconsistent with biblical teaching. While Europe remained stagnant, the nearby Islamic Empire scientifically flourished. Islamic scientists took great efforts to preserve and translate Ancient Greek texts, which included much work in science and natural philosophy that had effectively been “lost” to Europeans. Latin translations of these Arabic and Greek writings made their way to Europe through contact with the Islamic Empire through the Crusades and trade. "The long term effects of both the Scientific Revolution and the modern acceptance and dependence upon science can be felt today in our daily lives. And notwithstanding some major calamity -- science and the scientific spirit will be around for centuries to come." (History Guide Online: The Scientific Revolution ). The Protestant Reformation weakened the Catholic Church's power and influence. It encouraged scientific inquiry by changing man's view on the relationship between God and nature, encouraging laity to explore in for themselves. Shortly after Martin Luther, the Renaissance encouraged realism in art, a rebirth of ancient Greek ideals, and thus a study in nature. It encouraged an atmosphere of observation and inquiry. These influences and others encouraged man to observe and develop new ideas in physics, astronomy, biology, human anatomy, chemistry, and other sciences. The scientific method gave man an organized process to ask questions, develop hypotheses, and use experiment to test and develop theories. Scientists of this era debunked many long-held assumptions about the world and developed theories and frameworks which we use and hold as truth in the modern world.

"The exciting discoveries of this period--the heliocentric universe, the development of the scientific method, the use of mathematics, advances in medicine and chemistry--need to be part of every student's historical understanding. These discoveries did not just happen; it took struggle against older notions and assumptions for newer ideas to emerge." (Lesson From History, National Center for History in the Schools, 1992, p. 261). The Scientific Method The scientific method is a procedure scientists use to study the world around them without bias or cultural influences. The user first identifies a question or a problem, formulates an idea about why this occurs, performs experiments to test the hypothesis, records the data, and analyzes the findings. Prior to the scientific method in Europe, conclusions were drawn based on interpretation, and scientists did not perform experiments to tests their ideas. With the creation of this systemic method of testing and re-testing a hypotheses, we gain a more accurate understanding of the natural world, and have a framework to continually challenge and improve upon a theory. The method also eliminates cultural bias, an element that was of particular importance in Europe when the Church held the highest power. Francis Bacon is generally credited with inventing the scientific method, with Descartes, Galileo and Newton refining and using it the way we know it today. However, Aristotle made the first steps toward it by using empirical evidence and logical reasoning. During the height of the Islamic Empire, Islamic scientists used a system very similar to what we call the scientific method today. The Arab scientist and philosopher Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) was influenced by Aristotle, used experimentation, and even insisted on creating replicable data in his experiments. Leading Figures of the Scientific Revolution "Thinkers such as the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus ( ), the French philosopher René Descartes( ) and the British mathematician Isaac Newton ( ) overturned the authority of the Middle Ages and the classical world. And by authority I am not referring specifically to that of the Church -- the demise of its authority was already well under way even before the Lutheran Reformation had begun. The authority I am speaking of is intellectual in nature and consisted of the triad of Aristotle ( ), Ptolemy (c ) and Galen(c ). (History Guide Online: The Scientific Revolution ).

1. What is the purpose of a timeline? 2. How many years does this timeline cover? 3. List the background of each person listed on the timeline (country, religion). 4. Based on the information on the timeline, create a title. 5. Based on the information in the timeline, what do you think the term Scientific Revolution means? 6. What is the purpose of this specific timeline? “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” 7. What does this mean? 8. What is the connection to the timeline? 9. Who do you think may have spoken the quote?

Directions: Read the following information and answer the questions. Introduction You have taken science classes, read science books, and seen videos related to science, but do you know what the word “science” means? The word “science” comes from a Latin word which means knowledge, or understanding. For centuries people around the world have gained knowledge of the natural world. In the 16th and 17th centuries a new way of gaining knowledge of the natural world developed. This period is now known as the Scientific Revolution. The Scientific Revolution did not just fall out of the air; rather it was the result of scientific study made by scientists from numerous places over hundreds of years. In your own words, what was the Scientific Revolution? Where did the Scientific Revolution come from? Conclusion Through a long process and the efforts of hundreds of scientists in many places, a new way of understanding the natural world emerged. Superstition and tradition were replaced with an understanding of science that depended on data, or facts, and information that had been gained through observation and testing. In addition to this process, which is called the scientific method, scientists developed new understandings of things like gravity, and developed new tools like telescopes and thermometers. Science has never been the same. In your opinion, what were the three most important items that led to the Scientific Revolution? List the item and one reason why that was an important root of the Scientific Revolution.