1. Scientific Revolution
Age of Reason
Scientific Revolution

2. What is a revolution?
An overthrow or replacement of an established government or political system by the people

3. Europe Before the Scientific Revolution
Renaissance
A rebirth of learning and the arts
Inspired curiosity in many fields
Scholars began to question ideas that had been “accepted” for hundreds of yrs
Reformation: prompted the challenging of accepted ways of thinking about God and salvation
Truth of ideas revolved around Bible or ancient Greek or Roman scholar

4. Causes of the Scientific Revolution
Renaissance inspired new curiosities
Exploration (broaden European horizons)
Science challenges old ways of thought
Printing press
Work of Scientists (i.e., astronomers, Newton, advancements in medicine)

5. And a revolution begins
The Scientific Revolution was a new way of thinking about the natural world.
That way was based upon careful observation and a willingness to question accepted beliefs
Traveling the world opened up Europeans to this idea that there was a whole world of new truths to be found.

6. Geocentric theory – Middle Ages view
Most scholars believed that the earth was in immovable object located at the center of the universe-Geocentric theory
Common sense seemed to support this view
Geocentric theory
came from Aristotle
Religion also supported this theory

7. Heliocentric Theory New way of thinking Sun-centered view of universe
Developed by Nicolaus Copernicus
Rejected by clergy because it contradicted with religious views
Result: Copernicus did NOT publish findings until the last year of his life

8. Scientific Revolution Effects
Reason and order soon moved to other fields of life
Rethinking of long-held European beliefs
Relationship between government & its people challenged