Revolutionary Shifts

The Renaissance and the Emergence of Modern Science

• The Renaissance marked a significant shift in European thought, as scholars began to challenge traditional ways of thinking about God and salvation.

The Dawn of Scientific Inquiry

• Before 1500, scholars generally decided what was true or false through faith and authority, rather than empirical evidence.
• The Renaissance revolution in European thought permanently changed how people viewed the physical world.

Key Innovations and Discoveries

• The invention of the printing press helped spread challenging ideas among Europe's thinkers during the Renaissance.
• The Age of Exploration fueled a great deal of scientific research.

Astronomy and Planetary Motion

• A small group of scholars began to question the geocentric theory in the field of astronomy.
• Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish cleric and astronomer, published his findings on planetary motion in 1543.
• Tycho Brahe carefully recorded the movements of the planets for many years, producing accurate data based on his observations.
• Johannes Kepler concluded that certain mathematical laws govern planetary motion, including the fact that planets revolve around the sun in elliptical orbits.

Galileo's Contributions

• Galileo's discoveries included the observation of four moons orbiting Jupiter and the phases of Venus, providing evidence for the Copernican heliocentric model.
• Galileo's findings frightened Catholic and Protestant leaders, who saw them as a threat to their authority.
• After publishing Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo was placed under house arrest by the Catholic Church.

The Scientific Method

• Francis Bacon developed the scientific method, which involves empirical observation, experimentation, and the formulation of hypotheses.
• The first step of the scientific method is to formulate a hypothesis based on observation.

Notable Figures

• Nicolaus Copernicus is credited with beginning the Scientific Revolution with his heliocentric theory.
• Francis Bacon and René Descartes helped advance the new scientific approach in the 1600s.
• René Descartes is credited with the famous quote, "I think, therefore I am."
• Kepler, Galileo, and Isaac Newton made significant contributions to astronomy and physics.

Isaac Newton

• Newton consolidated the breakthroughs of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo into a single theory of motion.
• Newton attended Trinity College, Cambridge University.
• Newton's great discovery was the law of universal gravitation, which explains the motion of celestial bodies.
• Newton believed that the creator of the universe was a benevolent being who designed the universe according to mathematical principles.

Other Key Figures

• Evangelista Torricelli developed the first mercury barometer.
• Gabriel Fahrenheit made the first thermometer to use mercury in glass.
• Andreas Vesalius proved Galen's assumptions wrong by dissecting human corpses.
• Antoine Lavoisier is considered the founder of modern chemistry.
• Edward Jenner used cowpox to produce the world's first vaccination, discovering that inoculation with germs from cowpox could provide immunity to smallpox.

"The Renaissance and Reformation: A Quiz on Europe's Transformative Era" - Test your knowledge on the period between 1300 and 1600 in Europe, where the Renaissance and Reformation brought about significant changes in art, learning, and religious beliefs. Explore the key events, ideas, and figures that shaped this transformative era.