The Scientific Revolution & The Monarchy or Fly Newton to the Moon

An integrated, interdisciplinary, thematic unit on 16th and 17th Century Europe The 1600's to the mid 1700's were a time of great change. Europe was still reacting to the Reformation and the wars of conflict involving religion. The Renaissance and Reformation had begun to free the way man viewed himself and the world around him. The Scientific Revolution is important because as an intellectual movement it laid the foundation for the future of scientific thought especially related to astronomy/physics. It questioned traditionally held beliefs involving the relationship between man and his place in the universe and his relationship to God. The period focused on literary imagination and passion and emotion in the arts. The Scientific Revolution set the standard for assessing the validity of knowledge, applied rational thought to politics, but created concern and fear in many members of society. Knowledge of this period is necessary for students to understand subsequent periods of European history and see parallels in our world today