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Mar 12, 1511
The Heliocentric Theory
A Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, studied the universe and its movements. He realized that the geocentric theory- the belief that Earth was the center of the universe and that everything orbited it- did not properly explain or add up with many of his findings. He eventually came up with the idea that the Sun is the center of our solar system and that Earth revolves around it- or the heliocentric theory. -
Period: Feb 17, 1543 to
Human Biology
Andrew Vesalius, a Flemish doctor, started making many discoveries and became known for his work and study on the human body. In 1539, a judge started donating the bodies of executed criminals to Vesalius's research. He later puplished his work, "On the Workings of the Human Body". He layed the foundation for William Harvey's study of the human heart, and in the 1600s, Antony van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope, which helped further the study of the human body, also known as Biology. -
May 25, 1545
The Scientific Method
VideoThe scientific method was created to determine what was accurate in the scientific community. It is made up of 5 steps: determine the problem, form a hypothesis, perform controlled expiraments, azalyxe the results to determin the accuracy of the hypothesis, and repeat it to see if you or another scientist gets the same results. If the hypothesis is deemed accurate, it will become either a theory or a scientific law. -
The Telescope
Galileo Galilei came up with and built the first working telescope. Galileo made many other inventions in his lifetime, such as the pump and the hydrostatic balance, but the telescope is the most famous. Before Galileo's telescope, you could only magnify something up to three times. But Galileo made it so that you could magnify up to twenty times. He made many findings with his telescope, all of which proved the Heliocentric theory. -
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The Social Contract
The social contract was/is that in order for man to have order, it needs to have some form of authority. This theory had existed for a while, but was modified by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Hobbes said that it is man's nature to live in fear, selfishness and desire for protection. He concluded that man should be ruled by sovereigh law. Locke stated that man was reasonably good and happy, but we needed authority to protect property. Rousseau viewed the it as a hypothetical view of history. -
Chemistry Development
Robert Boyle, whom many call the father of modern chemistry, made many discoveries in chemistry, which he recorded in his 1661 work "The Sceptical Chymist". He was the first to define an element and matter. He also wrote Boyle's law, which explains how certain things effect gasses. Lavoisier was also a major contributer to modern chemistry. -
Gravity and Calculus
Sir Isaac Newton revolutionized science and maths in his work "The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy". He had done a lot of study and explained uneversal gravitation. He also come up with a new type of math to explain this, calculus. His ideas weren't accepted and the time and for a long while after. However, today, he is known as one of the greateset minds to have walked this planet. -
Checks and Balances (Democracy)
Charles de Montesqieu is very well known for his stand in politics. Today he represents France in it's political standings during the Enlightenment. He coined the term checks and balances- the separation of powers that are all equal and can not do anything without the other branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) knowing and approving it. This later became the foundation for America's goevernment and democracy. -
Ideas on Religious Toleration and Women's Rights
<a href='http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/women-during-the-enlightenment-roles-treatment.html#lesson' >Video</a
Pre-Enlightenment, people opposed reliogious toleration and gender equality. Obeying men, having kids, and occasionally doing an outside job was all women were to do in life. If you believed differently than your country, you were often exiled. The Enlightenment changed this, and encouraged equality amongst all. It gave women certain rights and spread religious tolerance. -
Enlightenment Leads to the American Revolution
Video
The ideas at the heart of the Enlightenment were to question authority, use logic, fight for your rights, and make new discoveries or try new things. These were all ideas that, when the Enlightenment spread to America, sparked the American Revolution. America fought for their rights and beliefs and stood up against their authority. This led to other revolutions.
