Changes of the 16th 17th and 18th Century

Unit 5 Part One

Unit 5 Part One; Changes in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Century

Europe 1500-1800

• There were numerous changes in the way people viewed government, science, and religion in the years between 1500 and 1700 CE. These changes were driven by new discoveries and the challenging of old ideas. The Renaissance, a period of renewed interest in learning and knowledge, set the stage for questioning established beliefs. The invention of the printing press facilitated the spread of new ideas and discoveries, enabling more people to access information and form their own opinions. Scholars and thinkers began to emphasize observation and experimentation, leading to a shift towards evidence-based understanding in various fields.

• Many of these changes marked the beginning of modern ways of thinking.

• The Scientific Revolution was a change in the way people thought about science.

• People began using reasoned observation and systematic measurement to figure out how the natural world functioned. For instance, scientists would observe falling objects and note that they always fell downwards. From such observations, they developed theories about gravity and how it affects motion.

• This was different from how people had previously thought about science. In the past, people explained natural phenomena through mythology or even religion.

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Now, people used things like the Scientific Method in order to form theories about how nature worked. Next, theories were tested and the results were recorded.

• The observations from these experiments helped scientists to form new ideas about nature.

Nicolaus Copernicus:

• Developed the Heliocentric theory—the idea that the sun was the center of the solar system.

• Importance: Challenged the ancient view and Church teaching that Earth was the center of the universe. The Church supported the geocentric model because it aligned with religious beliefs that positioned Earth, and thus humanity, at the center of God's creation. This heliocentric theory not only questioned the Church's teachings but also represented a significant shift in understanding humanity's place in the cosmos, creating tension and conflict between science and religion at the time.

Johannes Kepler:

• Discovered that the planets in the solar system followed elliptical (oval shaped) orbits around the sun.

• Importance: Supported Copernicus’s heliocentric theory of the universe and showed that planets move in oval shaped orbits called ellipses.

Galileo Galilei:

• Invented the telescope and used it to support the Heliocentric Theory.

• Importance: Provided more evidence to support the heliocentric theory.

Isaac Newton:

• Formulated the law of gravity

• Sir Isaac Newton began developing his theories on light, calculus and celestial mechanics while on break from Cambridge University. Years of research culminated with the 1687 publication of “Principia,” a landmark work that established the universal laws of motion and gravity.

William Harvey:

• Discovered that the pumping of the heart circulates blood throughout the human body.

• This challenged the previous thinking of the Greeks that the liver is what pumps blood through the body. Harvey's discovery was crucial because it fundamentally changed the understanding of human anatomy and physiology. It laid the groundwork for modern cardiovascular medicine and shifted the medical community's approach to diagnosis and treatment. By showing that the heart is central to blood circulation, Harvey's work improved medical practices and patient care significantly.