Scientific Revolution & Absolutism Review

Scientific Revolution

Reason replaced faith: transition from spiritual to observational knowledge and conclusions

What invention sparked the start of the Information Age?

Printing press - increased literacy, mass availability of information(Bible, vernacular, science, etc.)

What invention sparked the beginning of the Scientific Revolution?

Scientific Method

What 3 key events led to the Scientific Revolution?

• Renaissance

• Humanism

• Protestant Reformation

Historical Context of the Scientific Revolution

• Rediscovery of Greco-Roman learning

• Commercial Revolution led to.. $$ for scientific inquiry

• Renaissance secular Humanism led to.. questioning of ancient knowledge

• Protestant Reformation… weakened Church, strengthened science

• Francis Bacon developed… the Scientific Method allowed for confirmed discoveries

• Renee Descartes… rationalism(reason) “I think therefore I am”

Geocentric Theory

Concept: Earth is the center of the universe

Advancement: Church(based on Ptolemy) promoted the idea to gain power

Heliocentric Theory

Concept: Sun is the center of the universe

Advancement: Natural philosophers(scientists) starting with Copernicus

Nicholas Copernicus

• 1473-1543

• Came up with the Heliocentric model

• Proved Earth rotates

• From Poland

Tycho Brahe

• 1546-1601

• From Denmark

• Collected astronomical Data from his own observatory

• Observed “changes in heavens”

Kepler

• German who published the 3 Laws of Planetary motion explaining how planets move

Galileo

• Italian who challenged ancient knowledge

• Invented telescope(proved Heliocentrism in 1610)

• Tried/imprisoned by the Inquisition in 1633

Why might institutions of authority tend to reject new ideas?

They don’t want to lose power.

How did Newton contribute to the Scientific Revolution?

• English scientist

• Developed universal law of Gravity(affects objects on Earth and in space)

• Developed Calculus

• Invented a better reflecting telescope

Four ways the Scientific Revolution changed the world:

• Church permanently weakens

• International scientific community created led by Britain

• Enabled Age of Exploration(innovations)

• Monarchs strengthen become Absolute Monarchs

Autocrat

One ruler has all the power

Monarchy

Government based on hereditary rule(king/queen)

Absolutism

Idea that one ruler has complete control and their power comes from God(divine right)

Absolute Monarch

One Divine Right king/queen has absolute power

What form of government is directly opposed to Absolute Monarchy?

Democracy power to rule comes from consent(voting) of the governed(people) NOT God or a family

Historical Context of the Age of Absolutism:

• Commercial Revolution: Monarchs became rich from…taxing commerce(trade)

• The Renaissance: Humanism=Machiavelli’s The Prince strengthened autocrats

• The Reformation: Religion weak=monarchs claim divine right(power from God)

• The Scientific Revolution: Monarchs use science to strengthen militaries to control subjects/conquer colonies expanding territory

How did monarchs become absolute monarchs?

• Used propaganda to enhance authority(power)

• Bossuet(Catholics Church) gave divine right(power of God) to monarchs

Isabelle and Ferdinand

• Used intolerance to unify the nation under Catholicism(divine right)

• Completed the Reconquista by defeating the Moors(Muslims) in 1492. This United Spain for the first time in 700 years

• Sent Columbus to discover a new trade route to India, avoided Ottomans… discovered/claimed the new world instead

Phillip II Habsburg Dynasty

• Ruled Spain and vast overseas empire in the Americas and Asia(Philippines)

• Created a worldwide currency(silver $)

• Used the Inquisition to unite Spain under Catholicism(Divine Right)

• Built a massive navy the Spanish Armada but failed to conquer England

Elizabeth I Tudor Dynasty

• Passed a New Act of Supremacy making her head of the Anglican Church(Divine Right)

• Made peace between Protestants and the Catholics in England

• Supported the arts(Shakespeare)

• Established an overseas empire in North America

• Sent Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate(sail around) the globe and to pirate Spanish ships

• Defeated Spanish Armada in 1588 making England a world power

Louis XIV the Bourbon Dynasty

• Known as the Sun King “I am the State”

• French Bishop Bossuet book: Politics from Holy Writ(Justified Divine Right)

• Built Palace of Versailles to centralize power(controlled nobility)

• Built the largest army in Europe

• Built and funded “Academies” (schools) and the arts set the tone for all Europe

• Edict of Nantes(law that granted religious freedom) was revoked Louis XIV forced everyone to be Catholic. Protestants(Huguenots) in France were massacred fled to N. America to escape persecution

Peter the Great Romanov Dynasty

• Title Czar(Caesar from Rome)

• Russia was held out of the Renaissance by Mongol rule and geography

• Peter made Russia a world power

• Ruled with authority from the Eastern Orthodox church=Divine Right

• Westernized: Built St. Petersburg “window on the west” gave Russia access to Western Europe

• Modernized: Army/Navy

Causes of the Spanish Armada(1588 Phillip II vs. Elizabeth I)

• Elizabeth I, the protestant ruler of England, is seen as illegitimate by Phillip II of Spanish and the Pope

• Elizabeth goes on the offensive, has Sir Francis Drake(a pirate) circumnavigate(sail around) the globe seeking route to India “Northwest” of Spanish America…this fails so…

• Drake attacks “pirates” Spanish ships in the Americas, starts a revolt against Spain in the Netherlands

• Phillip decides to create the largest naval invasion force in European history, the Spanish Armada, to take over England

Effects of the Spanish Armada(1588 Phillip II vs. Elizabeth I)

• Drake daringly attacks the Armada at port in Spain, then bad weather and poor leadership doom the Armada

As a result of Elizabeth’s victory:

• Naval technology improves(better, faster boats/weapons)

• Spanish/Catholic power declines

• England becomes a naval and world superpower

• Protestantism

The reason the Spanish Armada of 1588 is a turning point is…

England is going to dominate, English spreads worldwide