Lesson 1: A New View of the World (The Scientific Revolution)

🧠 The Birth of Modern Science

A revolution in thinking started in Europe during the 1500s and 1600s. People began asking new questions about the world. Instead of only trusting old books or religious leaders, they wanted to observe, test, and discover things themselves.

This was the start of modern science. It changed how people thought about the Earth, the stars, the body, and more.

One amazing story: A man named Galileo Galilei built a telescope and looked at the sky. He saw mountains on the moon and moons orbiting Jupiter! Many people were shocked. Some church leaders were angry and told him to stop teaching his ideas. But Galileo said:

“Still, it moves.”
He meant the Earth really does go around the Sun!

🌱 Roots of the Revolution

The Scientific Revolution didn’t come from nowhere. It grew from many old ideas and new questions.

📚 Greek Thinkers

Long ago, Greek thinkers like Aristotle and Ptolemy tried to explain the world. They believed the Earth was at the center of the universe. Their ideas were taught for more than 1,000 years.

But later scientists said, “Let’s test these ideas!” A Polish man named Nicolaus Copernicus said the Sun is at the center, not the Earth. This was a big change—and it started a new way of thinking.

✝️ Religion and Knowledge

The Church helped keep knowledge alive in the Middle Ages. Monks copied books, and churches built schools and universities. Many early scientists were believers who said studying the world was a way to honor God.

For example, Isaac Newton, who discovered gravity, believed that God made the universe like a big machine—and science could help explain how it works.

⚙️ Changes in Europe

In the 1400s and 1500s, printing helped spread new ideas fast. People read books, asked questions, and wrote letters to each other across Europe. Explorers brought new tools, plants, animals, and ideas from faraway places. Curiosity grew!

People started to say:

“Let’s find out for ourselves.”