The Scientific Revolution was a period beginning in the mid-1500s that marked a new willingness to question current beliefs as well as the development of new ways to think about the world. Exploration to new regions of the world (namely the Americas, Asia, and Africa) introduced the idea of new truths to Europeans. The need for more advanced technologies for effective exploration also increased scientific research. Prior to the Scientific Revolution, scholars determined what was right and what was wrong by referring to ancient Greek and Roman authors, or the Bible. For example, it was believed by scholars throughout the Middle Ages that the universe was geocentric (centered around the earth). Not only did this idea seem logical based on the apparent movement of the sun, but Greek philosophers Aristotle and Ptolemy, as well as the Bible, verified the theory.…show more content… Inspired by an ancient Greek theory that placed the sun at the center of the universe, Copernicus spent twenty-five years studying planetary movement before proposing his heliocentric (sun-centered) theory. Copernicus did not publish his theory until the last years of his life because he knew that his ideas contradicted the Church and would likely cause his own persecution. Following Copernicus' death, other scientists such as Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo built upon his ideas. Using Brahe's data, Kepler developed a series of accurate laws which mathematically showed Copernicus' ideas to be true. Galileo built his own telescope and discovered that Jupiter had multiple moons, the sun had dark spots, and the moon was rough and uneven. After publicly defending Copernicus' ideas, the Church threatened Galileo before ultimately forcing him to concede that the Church was correct, after which he lived under house
