The Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

• "New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common."

• John Locke 1690

Thinking before Enlightenment• Beliefs in science were

100’s of years old• Geo Centric Theory

• Earth is center of the universe

• Spontaneous generation• Maggots in rotten meat

• Challengers to these beliefs faced the Inquisition.• http://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=CSe38dzJYkY

The Scientific Revolution• 1500s to 1700s• People rely on

Reason and Logic.• Everything deserves

observation and scrutiny• The scientific

method• Process of Observing,

Experimenting

Key Figures• Copernicus• Heliocentric Theory

• Galileo Galillei• Challenged the Church• Sentenced to house

arrest for the remainder of his life.• Created new powerful

telescope, pendulum clock.

Key Figures• Rene Descartes• Geometry• Coordinate Plane

• Andreas Vesalius• Human Anatomy

• Robert Boyle• Chemistry• Old belief: All matter was

made of water, earth, air, and fire.

• Sir Isaac Newton• Natural Laws

• Laws that govern the universe (laws of motion and gravity)

The Movement Spreads• Scientist created learning

communities (Salons)• Published papers• Ideas spread throughout

Europe and to the American Colonies

• This movement became known as The Enlightenment.• the idea that people were not

stuck with their lot in life, but could take charge and improve their existence by replacing blind faith in authority with their own ability to reason.

Enlightenment in Politics• Thomas Hobbes• People are naturally greedy

and selfish.• Believed in Divine Right

• Kings have been given the right to rule by God.

• Without a strong government, people would behave badly and their “lives would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”.

• You conceded your rights to the government, in return for your life.

• The people have no right to rebel against the government.

Enlightenment in Politics• John Locke• Humans are naturally

good.• Opposed Divine Right• All people possess

certain Natural Rights.• Life, Liberty, and

Property• If government doesn’t

protect these rights, the people need to revolt.

Monarchs • Prussian King changed

laws to help peasants.• Catherine the Great of

Russia expanded the Russian education system.• Austrian King allowed

religious tolerance and reduced the influence of the Catholic Church• Seen by many citizens and

peasants as Not Enough

• Identify 3 scientific discoveries of the past 50 years. Why are they significant and how have they influenced your lives or others?

• Due Wednesday in Email