Brahe, Kepler, & Galileo: Proving Copernicus Right

Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman and astronomer, made significant contributions to the field through his meticulous observations of the night sky. Funded by the Danish king and later by Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, Brahe's work laid the groundwork for future astronomical breakthroughs.

Example: Brahe's detailed observations of the 1572 supernova (then called a "new star") challenged the notion of an unchanging celestial realm.

Johannes Kepler, Brahe's assistant and successor, used the Danish astronomer's data to formulate his laws of planetary motion. These laws provided mathematical proof for the Copernican model and laid the foundation for Newton's later work on gravity.

Highlight: Kepler's laws of planetary motion were crucial Ap euro scientific Revolution discoveries that supported the heliocentric model.

Galileo Galilei, an Italian physicist and astronomer, made groundbreaking observations using the newly invented telescope. His discoveries, including the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus, provided strong evidence for the Copernican system.

Quote: Galileo famously declared, "Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe," emphasizing the importance of mathematical analysis in understanding nature.

These scientists' work collectively dismantled the old Aristotelian-Ptolemaic system and established a new, mathematically-based understanding of the cosmos. Their discoveries were central to the Scientific revolution breakthroughs in ap european history and set the stage for the modern scientific method.

Chapter 16: Toward a New Worldview

16.1 Major Breakthroughs of the Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution marked a profound shift in how Europeans understood the natural world. Prior to 1500, knowledge was largely based on Aristotle's works and Christian theology. Natural Philosophy, an early term for studying the universe, relied heavily on these traditional sources.

Definition: Natural Philosophy was the early modern term for studying the nature of the universe, its purpose, and how it functioned, encompassing what we now call 'science'.

The Aristotelian Universe theory, revised by Christian theologians, placed Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by ten revolving spheres. This geocentric model, however, failed to accurately account for celestial movements.

Highlight: The Aristotelian Universe theory was the dominant model before the Scientific Revolution breakthroughs in ap european history.

Ptolemy, a 2nd-century Egyptian astronomer, proposed a complex system of epicycles to explain planetary motions, while Aristotle's teachings dominated physics and concepts of motion.

Vocabulary: Epicycles were small circular orbits that planets were thought to follow while also orbiting Earth in a larger circle called a deferent.

The origins of the Scientific Revolution can be traced to several factors:

1. The establishment of universities in 14th-century Western Europe
2. The Renaissance's emphasis on mathematics and geometry
3. The fall of Constantinople in 1453, bringing ancient texts to Italy
4. Technological advancements like the printing press
5. Exploration efforts leading to new scientific instruments
6. Interest in astrology, magic, and alchemy

These factors collectively set the stage for the revolutionary scientific thinking that would follow.