Scientific Revolution

&

The Enlightenment

The Scientific Revolution Key Concepts

Scientific Revolution

Science before the Scientific Revolution and the age

of Enlightenment was basically explained by the

theories of the church.

*The church believed that the earth was the center of

the universe and that everything rotated around the

earth. (Geocentric Theory)

This was the first theory to be challenged.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Sun-centered universe (Heliocentric Theory)

Showed proof by using math to explain orbits of planets around the sun.

Earth no different than any other planet

Galileo Galilei

Improved telescope and used it to help support the Heliocentric Theory

Church put him on trial

and forced him to publicly

take back his ideas.

Isaac Newton

Built on ideas of

Copernicus and

Galileo using math to

prove existence of

force that kept planets

on orbits around sun.

Called the force

gravity.

Johannes Kepler

•Created

mathematical laws

that govern

planetary motion.

•These theories

helped prove that

Copernicus’s basic

ideas were true.

Rene Descartes

Formed scientific method

(same method used today)

Descartes emphasized the

power of human reason.

He believed that reason,

rather then tradition, should

be used to discover truths.

Video over the Scientific Revolution

Scientific Revolution Leads to Enlightenment

By the 1700’s scientific thinking began to lead the way

for thinkers to use reason to discover natural laws, (laws

that govern human behavior).

This led to the Enlightenment, the period when people

rejected traditional ideas and supported human reason.

The Enlightenment introduced new ways of viewing

authority, power, government, and law.

The Enlightenment

“The Century of Light”

The five most influential Enlightenment thinkers were:

•John Locke

•Voltaire

•Jean-Jacques Rousseau

•Baron de Montesquieu

•Thomas Hobbes

THE FAB FIVE ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS

John Locke

All people possess

natural rights Rights include life,

liberty, and property, and judicial

Government should be overthrown if they do not provide natural rights.

Baron de Montesquieu

Government has the responsibility to protect citizens

Checks and Balances

Huge influence in the US

Voltaire

Believed in free speech

Criticized the French Government and Catholic Church

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Believed that people are naturally good, but corrupted by evils

of society

In perfect society people both make and obey laws

Thomas Hobbes

Believed that without government people would be at

war all of the time.

Believed that people need to form a social contract and create a government to keep peace and order.

Believed that what a person grows up to be is predetermined when they are born and people are generally naturally evil.

Enlightened Despots

Maria Theresa: (Austria)

Improved tax system to ease burden on poor. Made education

available for poor children.

Monarchs that used their power to reform society

Joseph II: (Austria)

-Chose officials for their talents instead of their

status.

-Practiced religious tolerance.

-Abolished serfdom.

-Ended censorship.

Catherine The Great: (Russia)

-Took advice from townspeople

on how to run government.

-Built schools and hospitals.

-Promoted education for women.

-Extended religious tolerance.