Scientific Revolution (1500s - 1600s)(Europe)

• The Scientific Revolution was a sudden and dramatic change in how people viewed the world.
• During the Scientific Revolution, science and reason (logic) explained how the world worked. People no longer turned only to the Bible and the Catholic Church for answers.
• Copernicus- Astronomer who developed the Heliocentric Theory- The idea that the planets revolve around the sun.
• Galileo Galilei- Astronomer who proved that Copernicus was correct. He was put on trial by the Catholic Church because his ideas contradicted (went against) its teachings.
• Sir Isaac Newton- Mathematician and astronomer who developed calculus and the theory of gravity.
• Johannes Kepler- Astronomer who helped discover how planets move.
• Descartes- Mathematician, scientist, and philosopher.
• Key effects (results) of the Scientific Revolution:

  • It resulted in the spread of new ideas throughout Europe.
  • It challenged the traditional authority (power) of the Catholic Church since European scientists proved that many Church teachings were incorrect.
  • The new ideas of this period directly led to the Enlightenment