Scientific Revolution DBQ

During the sixteenth and seventeenth century, many scientists had developed a new perspective on the world around them. Scientists such as Galileo and Copernicus envisioned a world where natural phenomenons could be proved through experimentation. Furthermore, the work of scientists during this time period were affected by the approval of political figures, the support from influential members of the church, and social factors that influenced the development and acceptance of new theories.
To powerful political figures, scientific theories were regarded as an opportunity to gain power and money. Institutions such as the Royal Academies created an environment where new theories and scientific knowledge would be shared. In addition, these institutions were valuable for their ability to increase France’s budget which can been seen in Jean Baptiste Colbert’s letter to Louis the sixteenth in 1676 (Doc 11). This document was written for Louis the sixteenth, so that the king would become interested in science and fund the academies. Furthermore, King Louis XIV’s alliance to scientists was crucial as seen in the drawing to commemorate Louis XIV’s visit to the French Royal Academy

In Thomas Hobbes believed that geometry was honest and clear and would not affect one’s personal agenda in which he stated in his book Leviathan (Doc 7). This document may not be a reliable source of information because it was written by Hobbes who was an English philosopher who had originally thought all human beings are evil. On the other hand, Marin Mersenne who was a French monk, wrote a letter to his noble patron explaining that his experiments were valid (Doc 5). As a French monk pursuing science, Mersenne understood the repercussions of not having solid evidence when presenting his theories to the world. Furthermore, society at this time was not ready for advancements in