Ap World History Dbq Essay

Words: 749
Pages: 3

The development of sciences in the new world during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was largely affected by factors politically, socially, and religiously. Governments did not look negatively on science, but the Roman Catholic Church and the extremely diverse society did. Therefore, the social, religious and political factors largely influenced and encouraged the advancement of the sciences. This push for intellectual property is what shaped the Renaissance into such a successful time. Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish priest and astronomer, wrote a dedication to Pope Paul II, in his writing. In the dedication of his writing, he praises Pope Paul II for his unconditional love for the sciences, “...you are regarded as the most eminent...your …show more content…
During this time, women were not allowed to be educated or have any other rights in general. Margaret Cavendish was an English natural philosopher describes her experience with sexism by saying in her Observations on Experimental Philosophy, “But I, being a woman, do fear they would soon cast me out of their schools” (Doc 9). As Margaret describes, the sexism in society restricts her and many other women from attempting to complete marvels in the science field. If sexism were not to have been a problem during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, possibly many more scientific gains would have been developed by women and further advanced our society. Another example of sexism affecting science is with Henry Oldenbury, the Secretary of the English Royal Society. In a letter to Johannes Hevelius, a German scientist in 1663, he wrote, “Friendship among learned men is a great aid to the investigation and elucidation of the truth” (Doc 6). It can be said that he might not have meant to come off as sexist, but when he uses the word “men”, it shows that Europe believed men were superior to women. Overall, the sexist behavior of society towards female scientists in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries severally affected the development and advancement of