1. THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
EUROPE IN
THE 1500’s

2. ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What were the important contributions of scientists like Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton during the Scientific Revolution?

3. The Scientific Revolution was a time period (starting in the mid-1500s) in Europe where new ways of thinking about the natural world came about
The ideas of the ancient scientists (Greeks and Romans) and of the Catholic Church were challenged by the new breed of scientists in Europe

4. During this era of the Scientific Revolution, Europe experienced a time when new ideas in physics, astronomy, biology, and anatomy changed the ways Europeans viewed the world

5. To prove these new ideas, the scientists began using the “scientific method”, which is a logical procedure for gathering information and testing ideas

6. Before the 1500s, science was a mix of ancient ideas and Church teachings; for centuries, no one challenged these old scientific beliefs
But the new ways of thinking in the 1500s led to a more rational approach to science: observation, experiments, and scientific reasoning

7. Everything was questioned and nothing was assumed to be true; it had to be PROVEN true
Thinkers used logic and the scientific method to find answers to questions

8. A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE
It is because of the influences of the major movements in Europe during the 1500s that the Scientific Revolution came about
The Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the Age of Exploration all made the Scientific Revolution happen

9. REASONS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
The Scientific Revolution began in the mid-1500s because of recent discoveries in other areas of European life
During the Renaissance, people began to question religious beliefs and thought that humans could accomplish anything
This belief in the possibilities of human achievement led to great leaps in science

10. REASONS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
The Protestant Reformation also had an effect on the Scientific Revolution
Because of the Reformation, people questioned the Catholic Church’s religious beliefs
Questioning religious beliefs led to people also questioning the Church’s long-held scientific beliefs

11. REASONS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
The 1500s were also the time of Europe’s Age of Exploration
The discovery of lands previously unknown to Europeans led people to search for other “new” things, such as new scientific ideas
Particularly, explorers were interested in better technology that would help them explore (such as ship-building, navigational devices, and weapons)

12. What were some of the key ideas of the Scientific Revolution?

13. THE HELIOCENTRIC THEORY

14. Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus proposed that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, an idea known as the “heliocentric theory”

15. Before, people believed in the Greek theory that the Sun revolved around the Earth
Copernicus’ idea radically changed Europe’s concept of the universe and was the foundation of modern astronomy

16. Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer and mathematician, proved Copernicus’ theory to be true

17. Kepler also proposed that planets move in elliptical orbits (not in perfect circles) and do not always travel at the same speed around the Sun

18. GALILEO GALILEI

19. GALILEO GALILEI
Galileo was one of the most influential scientists of all time
Some of Galileo’s accomplishments: (1) he improved the telescope
(2) He made observations about the Moon and our Solar system
(3) He created the Law of Inertia and (4) he perfected the scientific method

20. Galileo’s work got him in trouble with the Catholic Church when he challenged their long-held scientific beliefs
The theory he challenged was the incorrect geocentric theory; with this, the Sun and planets all revolve around the Earth

21. The Church always taught that God considered humans his greatest creation and made Earth the center of the Universe
Galileo’s teachings completely went against the Church’s beliefs, so he was brought before the Inquisition

22. Under the threat of torture, Galileo was forced to recant (deny) his ideas about the Sun being at the center
Galileo spent the rest of his life under house arrest, but his ideas spread and lived on, inspiring future scientists

23. ISAAC NEWTON
Isaac Newton was an English scientist who made many breakthroughs in the field of physics

24. Newton discovered and explained the theory of gravity
ISAAC NEWTON
Newton discovered and explained the theory of gravity

25. The mythical story of Newton being inspired by an apple hitting him on the head
He also studied the physics of motion, heat, and light and created the mathematical field of calculus to prove his theories

26. ANATOMY

27. WILLIAM HARVEY
William Harvey was an English doctor who proved that blood circulates through the body and is pumped by the heart

28. ANATOMY

29. Andreas Vesalius studied human anatomy, dissecting human corpses
His work added to European knowledge of the human body for the first time in 150 years; this marked the beginning of modern medical science

30. THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION SPREADS
thermometer
microscope
eyeglasses
Because of these new ideas, new inventions came about during the Scientific Revolution

31. WHY DOES THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION MATTER TO YOU?
The Scientific Revolution shaped the world we live in today; if not for the first steps of those scientists, the way we live, think, travel, communicate, and are entertained might be VERY different