1. The Scientific Revolution
Mr. Meester
AP European History
Pages

2. The Scientific Revolution
This “Revolution” established and tried to explain a new view of the universe.
It was based on Ancient, Middle Age, & Contemporary views and ideas
Science as we know it was born during this era
New Technology
New Institutions
New Disciplines
New Methods

3. Revival of Astronomy
During the 16 century there was a great revival in the study of astronomy.
Among the Greek writings recovered during the Renaissance were those of Aristarchus of Samos.
In the 200s B.C. Aristarchus had proposed the Helio-centric Theory of the earth revolving around the sun.
Up until this time, most Europeans followed Church doctrine of the Geo-centric Theory.

4. The Ptolemaic System
Developed in Ancient Greece & fully explained by Roman astronomer Ptolemy
It was a Geocentric system with the Earth was in the center
Crystalline spheres contained the heavenly bodies
There were many problems with the Ptolemaic system
It did predict the location of heavenly bodies in the sky

5. Nicholas Copernicus
1543 Published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
He kept many parts of the Ptolemaic system, but had a Heliocentric Model
It improved on Ptolemy’s model ,but wasn’t anymore accurate
Inspired other astronomers to follow

6. Tycho Brahe
Danish nobleman, Tycho Brahe, built the best observatory of his time
He collected extensive data on the location of the stars and planets.
Brahe did not accept Copernicus’s views.
He was a Geocentrist but with a twist
Brahe’s discovery of a new star in 1572, and the appearance of a comet in 1577, shattered the beliefs in an unchanging sky and crystalline spheres.

7. Tycho’s Model of the Solar System

8. Johann Kepler Was the assistant to Brahe and continued his work
Believed Copernicus’s theory more than Copernicus
He proved, mathematically, that Copernicus was correct in his theory
Kepler’s theory was the first to actually portray the motion of the planets

9. Galileo Galilei
At the same time Kepler was publishing his work Galileo used a telescope to prove Heliocentricism
Needed patronage to continue his work
Provided observable evidence
Popularized the belief that the universe was rational
The natural world could be described using math

10. Isaac Newton
The mathematical work of Isaac Newton was the high point of the scientific revolution.
In 1687, Newton published The Mathematical Principals of Natural Philosophy, better known as the Principia Mathematica.
Theory of Gravity
Newton believed in empiricism
Liked Francis Bacon
Disagreed with Rene Descartes