The Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment: Europe, 1550-1800

1. The Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment: Europe, 1550-1800

2. I. Scientific Revolution • The European Renaissance (1300-1600) inspired many new ways of thinking and challenged many traditional institutions • Set the stage for a rededication to learning and questioning long-held beliefs • Scientific Revolution– a new way of thinking about the natural world • Began mid-1500s • Based on observation and willingness to question traditionally accepted beliefs • World exploration opened Europeans to the possibilities of new truths to be found • Scientific method – a logical procedure forgathering and testing ideas • Use testing and experimentation to prove a hypothesis

3. II. New Theories and Observations • Heliocentric theory vs. geocentric theory • Long-held belief the Earth was center of the universe (geocentric) • Scholars such as Copernicus andGalileo used observation to argueEarth and other planets revolvedaround Sun (Heliocentric) • Church denied Heliocentrictheory, threatened Galileo with arrest and torture • Isaac Newton – developed the law of gravity in late-1600s • Every object in the universe attracts every other object, attraction depends on mass and distance of objects • Theories became basis for study of physics

4. III. The Enlightenment • Fields of science were not the only subjects influenced by new ways of thinking • Government, religion, economics, education began to be challenged and changed • Enlightenment– intellectual movement that stressed reason and rational thought to solve problems • Centered in France, but spread throughout Europe • Also stressed observation and discussion • Views on government and politics • Thomas Hobbes argued that a strong ruler andlaws are the key to a successful society • John Locke argued that people have the natural ability to govern themselves • Favored self-government, not absolute power • Three natural rights – life, liberty, property CHALLENGE QUESTION!

5. II. Continued… • French philosophers (philosophes) believed in 5 key concepts • Reason – truth could be discovered through logical thinking • Nature – what was natural was also good and reasonable • Happiness – urged people to seek well-being on earth, not just in afterlife • Progress – society and humankind could improve • Liberty – should be free of tyranny • Women and the Enlightenment • Many male Enlightenment thinkers still held traditional ideas about women’s roles in society • Example: a girls education should be how to be a good wife/mother

6. II. Continued… • Many women influenced status and rights through writing – pioneers in feminism • Examples: Mary Astell, Mary Wollstonecraft • Wealthy women helped spread ideas by hosting social gatherings, called salons • Legacy of Sci. Rev. & Enlightenment • Ideas of Enlightenment helped inspire uprisings/revolutions of 18th and 19th centuries • People looked less to royalty and the church for guidance – relied more on themselves (individualism) • Sci. Revolution sped up technological development, medical advances

7. EXIT TICKET Answer the following questions using complete sentences. • What is the difference between the Heliocentric and Geocentric theories? Which one did Galileo support? • What are the two main ideas that the Enlightenment stressed and focused on? • How were women involved in the Enlightenment? (Describe one way.)

8. CHALLENGE QUESTION! Use complete sentences to answer today’s question. • Think about the political views of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. • Write a brief statement in support of each scholar’s views. Why is Hobbes correct? Why is Locke correct? • If you were president of the United States, which view would you lean towards? BACK