The Scientific Revolution

1. The Scientific Revolution • How did science begin to change the way people thought? Copernicus Galileo Newton

2. The Scientific Revolution – Heliocentric Theory • Prior to the 1500s, scholars decided what was true or false by either referring to an ancient Greek/Roman thinker or the Bible • Starting in the 1500s scholars began to publish works that challenged these ancient thinkers and the church • First major challenge is to Ptolemy & Aristotle’s Geocentric theory • the belief that Earth was in the center of the universe and everything revolved around the earth • A man named Nicolaus Copernicus challenged that theory • Copernicus believed in the Heliocentric theory – the Sun was in the center of the universe and everything revolved around the sun Earth Centered Universe Sun Centered Universe

3. Kepler & Galileo • In 1610, an Italian scientist named Galileo published a book called Starry Messenger • A brilliant mathematician named Johannes Kepler agreed with Copernicus • Kepler argued the revolutions were oval orbits - Galileo’s book supported heliocentric theory & challenged Aristotle’s idea that our moon & the stars were perfect • The Catholic Church warned Galileo not to publish the book • The Pope put Galileo on trial • Under the threat of torture, Galileo had to read a confession saying that Copernicus’ theory was false • Galileo lived under house arrest until his death in 1642 Galileo on trial

4. Newton continues the Revolution • Scientists now wanted to be able to prove their theories instead of just listening to what the church told them • The scientific method was born • This is a procedure for gathering and testing ideas • Next, a hypothesis is formed & tested to become a theory & then a law • In the mid-1600s and English scientist named Sir Isaac Newton discovered & tested many new theories • Newton studied motion and came up with the Law of Gravity • Later, there were new advances in medicine and the human body • Including Robert Boyle’s work in the field of chemistry