DBQ Practice 1

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the sciences were just beginning to flourish.  The scientists were extremely outgoing in their works and discoveries, but they could have accomplished so much more had they not faced so much adversary.  So many things were discovered about the universe and they way things work on Earth, but there was so much more to be proven.  Scientists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were encouraged to succeed by the state, but they were not able to reach their full potential due to social and religious factors such as gender discrimination and going against the beliefs of the Church.

The government truly wanted the scientists within their own country to be extremely successful.  “The splendor and happiness of the State consists in . . . causing the arts and sciences to flourish” (Document 11).  The government primarily cares about looking good to other countries, and having inventions and discoveries that other countries have not yet found.  Louis XIV even visited the French Royal Academy in order to see the works of the scientists there and comment them on their discoveries (Document 10). The following quotation is Henry Oldenbury, Secretary of the English Royal Society, commending scientist, Johannes Hevelius, for his great works.  “Friendship among learned men is a great aid to the investigation and elucidation of the truth” (Document 6).  The government supported the scientists and wanted them to be the most successful in the world.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, women were not seen as intelligent people.   No one would have ever thought that a woman could be a successful scientist.  Margaret Cavendish says, “Were it allowable for our sex, I might set up my own school of natural philosophy” (Document 9).  Imagine the things that could have been discovered, if every highly intelligent woman was able to open a school and pursue a scientific career.  These women could have not only discovered things themselves, but could have also taught other people who then invented things.  Scientists were truly not allowed to reach their full potential in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the greatest adversary that the science world faced was the Church.  Scientists were constantly discovering things and coming up with theories that the Church did not agree with.  In particular, Galileo’s idea of heliocentrism went against the Church’s belief of geocentrism, and he was constantly condemned by the Church.  Giovanni Ciampoli, an Italian monk, wrote to Galileo saying, “showing your willingness to defer to the authority of those who have jurisdiction over the human intellect in matters of the interpretation of Scripture” (Document 3).  He was condemning Galileo for trying to interpret Scripture, which is what the Church constantly did during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The scientists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were constantly condemned and not able to reach their full potential.  According to Nicolaus Copernicus, “I be not wholly deceived, will hold that my labors contribute even to the well being of the Church” (Document 1).  Scientists truly believed that what they were doing was for the good of all as well as the Church.  John Calvin even said, “It cannot be denied that this art unfolds the admirable wisdom of God” (Document 2).  He believed that the scientific discoveries actually showed God’s greatness.  Scientists were not allowed to be as successful as they were capable of because of all the obstacles that they faced.