The Scientific Revolution - 1500s

1. The Scientific Revolution-1500s Medieval view • God controls everything, no understanding needed, Earth center of universe held by ancient thinkers and the church- Aristotle, Ptolemy Late Middle Ages • Scientific knowledge compiled from ancient manuscripts, • Universities began offering courses in science, • Finding that ancient scholars did not always agree, 1300s Renaissance • inspires new ways of thinking and curiosity, the beginning of questioning the way we live • Guttenberg- printing press, spread ideas 1400’s- 1500’s- Age of exploration • Needing new/ better tools/ understanding of the natural world in order to sail to distant lands • New ideas coming from newly discovered people in other parts of the world. NEW TRUTHS TO BE FOUND

2. Scientific revolution spreads • New way of thinking about the natural world, ideas built on careful observation Astronomy- 1500s • Began experimenting to understand natural laws- planets, stars, Copernicus, Kepler, Brahe • Galileo- experimenter- times pendulum swings and dropping rocks off buildings, builds a telescope. • 1610 Galileo supports the view that the earth goes around the sun and is called a heretic for questioning the church • Acceptance that the earth revolved around the sun (Copernicus) greatly angers the church. If it did then we are not the center of the universe or as special as we think we are. Major church teaching, what else could the church be wrong about????

3. Scientific Method • Logical proceeding for gathering and testing information. 1600’s • Francis Bacon- popular writings about observing the world around you and drawing conclusions- empiricism. • Rene Decartes- using logic you can prove things by reason mid- 1600’s • Newton discovers laws of gravity- objects attract each other- universe is a giant clock that works perfectly according to laws that can be calculated • Tools of measurement invented- microscope, barometer (measure atmosphere pressure), thermometer. • Advances in medicine- dissection of humans- understanding of human’s body and systems • Chemistry is developed- study of chemicals and reactions

4. Enlightenment- The Age of Reason Mid- 1600’s- 1700s- • Jump from scientific revolution to revolution in thought- Applying Reason/ logic and the scientific method to all parts of life/ society- govt., religion, education • Laws to govern human behavior??? • The center of the Enlightenment- cultural and intellectual capital is Paris, France • criticism of govt. and church illegal- few listen- some are jailed or exiled (Voltaire) • Starts with the wealthy and filters down to middle class through newspapers and books, middle class supports movement by buying papers and books and supporting the thinkers

7. Spread of Enlightenment • Starts in major cities, moves through Europe’s major cities and learning centers and then to the countryside, also comes to major cities in America • Salons- major social gathering place for people to discuss/debate enlightenment ideas • Philosophes- french word for philosophers- they could apply reason to all parts of life- fought for their ideas within their intellectual circles and through their writings that spread quickly

8. 5 points • Reason • truth discovered through logical thinking. Reason was absence of prejudice, intolerance, or bigotry • Nature • nature was good and reasonable because it followed natural laws • Happiness • happiness is living by natural laws • Progress • society could progress to better to an ideal • Liberty • freedom to challenge authority, to live freely

9. Views on Government- 1600’s • Thomas Hobbes • social contract- without govt. people would war constantly- life would be nasty, brutish and short. People sacrifice freedom in exchange for law and order, and sanity. Monarchs okay. People are naturally bad • John Locke • People have the ability to govern themselves- they have 3 freedoms- life, liberty and property, govt. is here to protect these rights, if they do not it is the citizens right to overthrow the govt. POWER COMES FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED, people are naturally good

10. Montesquieu • Study of political liberty- decides that Rome fell because they lost their political liberties- idea of separation of powers of different branches of govt. • Rousseau • individual freedom- people are naturally good- good govt. is freely formed by the people and governed by the general good- social contract agreement between free individuals to form society and govt. • Some Monarchs make some reform based on Enlightenment ideas but keep most of their power

11. Other important People- • Voltaire • French- used sarcastic literature to criticize authority, clergy, aristocracy, government, church • He was put in jail twice, exiled once and fled the country in the end, Fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of speech and religion • Beccaria • Laws exist to uphold order not to punish for crime, fair treatment for criminals- punishment should fit the crime • Diderot • creates the Encyclopedia- volumes in which Enlightenment thinkers publish articles and essays

12. View Towards Women • change little • Women speak out in essays • Mary Astell- lack of educational opportunities for women, unequal rights in marriage • Mary Wollstonecraft- education just as important for women, equality in job and political power • Salons - controlled and run by women

13. New Theories/ ideas that hold strong • Belief in Progress • Through reason a better society was possible • through progress we would continue to expand our knowledge in the sciences • Secular Outlook • More worldly view of life • church is continuing to lose power • questioning of all church beliefs • Importance Of the Individual • own ability to reason • importance of the in society • Individual achievement