Timeline of European History Ancient History Medieval History

Timeline of European History Ancient History Medieval History Modern History (Middle Ages or Dark Ages) 500 AD 1300 -1500 Fall of Roman Empire Renaissance <-----------------------------------I--------------------------> Ancient thinkers try to figure out the world; Great accomplishments in art, math, philosophy, etc… Life in Europe is difficult & dangerous; few people are educated & little advancement in learning takes place; Christian Church is all powerful & people look to it to lead them to a happy eternity. Renaissance scholars rediscover knowledge of the ancients & create amazing art, architecture, literature, etc…; Christian Church still very powerful & influential in society.

But … … what if you (as a Renaissance thinker) discovered that the “ALL KNOWING ANCIENTS” were wrong? ? ? Or, what if you disagreed with something that the ALL POWERFUL Christian Church taught you? ? ?

The Scientific Revolution: Chapter 6, Section 1 / l What will we learn? What did people think like before the Scientific Revolution? I l What new ideas changed the way people thought (& thinkers responsible for them)? • Why were some new ideas controversial?

Before the Scientific Revolution l l people answered questions about the physical world with stories, myths, & “common sense” people believed in geocentric theory: - belief that the earth was at the center of the universe with moon, sun, & planets moving in perfect circles around it - Taught by ancient Greeks Aristotle (philosopher) and Ptolemy (astronomer) - supported by Christian Church God made it this way!

BAM!!! A new way of thinking. . . The Scientific Revolution a new way of thinking about the natural world based on observation & experimentation use of scientific method l questioned knowledge of the ancients (& challenged some of the church’s teachings) l began in the mid-1500 s in Europe l COOL FACT: ideas spread in European coffeehouses! l