Introduction

The Task

The Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Resources

Introduction

The Enlightenment was a period of revolution; it basically changed forever the way people had thought about religion, science, politics, and government. Key principles of the Enlightenment were belief in human reason and belief in the scientific method. The scientific movement eventually led to a widespread rethinking of other aspects of human life. Leading European intellectuals applied the same scientific approaches to explain social questions.  They reasoned if nature runs by a set of established laws, which cannot be broken, should not the same be true of human society? These philosophers created the Enlightenment; the term was used to refer to the dawn of a new age.  The men and women who led this new way of thinking were referred to as philosophers. They took the newly developed scientific method and applied it to society, religion, and government.  They were especially worried about oppressive governments and the corruption of the Church.

The Task

Stardate 2860. 800 years after Sir Isaac Newton predicated the end of time, the Galactic forces have disconnected and demolished all of the world’s most significant work.  Your mission is to travel back between the years of 1650-1789 to meet and investigate the major players of the Enlightenment to inquire how Science and history ran parallel but became intertwined during this time.

The Process

You will need to assume one of the following roles: monarch, pope, or a student of science at the University of Florence.  In order to complete your mission, you will need to explore several informative investigation sites.  As you explore each of these sites, you will need to record your findings and journal your reflections. These reflections will guide in your writing of a persuasive essay.

After you have chosen your role, be sure to address or answer the following questions of your particular position your journal reflections.  Remember that you journal reflection will help you to write your persuasive essay.

Return to the top of the page

Monarch:

As a monarch you will find ways to dispel the theories of John Locke, Renee DesCartes and Montesquieu and you will also need to emphasize the validity of rule by Divine Right.

    -What is Divine Right?

    -Why did monarchs work closely with he church?

    -Explain John Locke’s views on government

Absolute Monarchy

Define - Right of Kings-

Defing - define right –

Views of John Locke

Return to the top of the page

Pope:

As pope you will attempt to refute the methods and ideas that were championed by Copernicus and Galileo. You should be primarily focusing on why their theories are blasphemous according to church doctrine/dogma.

     -What did the church believe about the placement of the Earth?

    -Why did the Church respond negatively to Copernicus?

The Galileo Affair

Scientific and biblical conflicts with the Church

The Galileo Controversy

Student of Science at the University of Florence:

As a well-rounded intellectual person who lives at the epicenter of the world, your task will be to defend the findings of Copernicus, Newton, and Galileo.  Keep in mind that your task will be a difficult one-because you will need to defend your position against both the church and the monarchs.      

 -Provide a brief explanation of the works of Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton

    -Explain the Heliocentric Theory

    -Explain Galileo's relationship with the Church?

    -Galileo's contribution to Science

    -Newton's influence to Science and Mathematics

Return to the top of the page

Nicholas Copernicus

Who was Nicolaus Copernicus?

Copernicus and The Enlightenment

Copernicus and his Heliocentric System of the Universe

Issac Newton

History of mathematics'

Newton's Life

Newton's contrabutions to science

Galileo Galileo

Who was Galileo Galilei

Galileo contributions to science

Galileo place in history

Return to the top of the page

 Evaluation

Your persuasive essay will be graded on the following categories, which are outlined in the rubric below. Please remember that along with the rubric, it is important that since you are writing a persuasive essay you must support your argument with evidence that supports your point of view.\

Grading Rurbric

Conclusion

Now that you have concluded your initial investigation of some of the key figures of the Enlightenment, the significance of these individuals should be apparent.  Scientists and philosophers such as Galileo and Locke revolutionized the world by questioning and challenging the social and religious norm of the day.

Return to the top of the page

Credit and References

http://www.catholic.com/library/galileo_controversy.asp

http://www.catholicleague.org/research/galileo.html

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/galileo.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06342b.htm

http://www.cs.rutgers.edu/pub/soc.religion.christian/faq/galileo

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileo.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10536a.htm

http://www.mrdowling.com/705french.html

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/SCIREV.HTM

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Galileo.html

http://galileo.rice.edu/bio/tov.html

http://quest.nasa.gov/galileo/About/galileobio.html

http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/starry/galileo.html

http://www.mrdowling.com/705-newton.html

http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/lectures/newton.html

http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/Newton/RouseBall/RB_Newton.html

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/newtlife.html

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Newton.html

http://dpi.state.wi.us/standards/

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Return to the top of the page

Created June 20 2009