Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina

The Scientific Revolution took place during the 16th and 17th centuries and was an enormous shift in European thought. By the end of the movement, “science” was a recognized discipline with techniques of experimentation and observation at its core. It also represented a shift in philosophy. Christianity eventually became a less dominant force as a result (although still very significant), and European politicians and philosophers began to base arguments on science in addition to the Bible.

Galileo was one of a group of scientists and thinkers who made enormous contributions to how we think about the universe. These figures include Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe (who observed a supernova and created an astronomical research institute), Johannes Kepler (who assisted Brahe and determined that the planets have elliptical orbits), and Isaac Newton (who developed laws of motion and gravity, helped invent calculus, and determined that white light contains colors). Galileo’s discoveries were central to this movement, both on their own merits and because they helped to confirm heliocentrism. Although many people disapproved of Galileo’s ideas, especially people in positions of power in the Catholic Church, many others took them up (especially after Galileo’s death) and used them to make discoveries of their own.