U.S. History

Chapter 5: Life in the English ColoniesSection 5: American Culture

New Ideas in Europe

•Scientific Revolution—period of great learning that began in the 1600s as European scientists, mathematics, & astronomers looked for explanations about how the universe worked

New Ideas in Europe

•The Scientific Revolution began in math & science and eventually affected

all areas of natural science.

New Ideas in Europe

Galileo Galilei

New Ideas in Europe

Galileo’s Telescope

New Ideas in Europe

What?! The Earth revolves around the Sun?!

New Ideas in Europe

Galileo on Trial

Thanks to his intuition as a brilliant physicist and by relying on different arguments, Galileo, who practically invented the experimental method, understood why only the sun could function as the centre of the world, as it was then known, that is to say, as a planetary system. The error of the theologians of the time, when they maintained the centrality of the earth, was to think that our understanding of the physical world's structure was, in some way, imposed by the literal sense of Sacred Scripture....

– Pope John Paul II

New Ideas in Europe

Issac Newton

New Ideas in Europe

Newton under the Apple Tree

New Ideas in Europe

•Scientific Method—carefully examining natural events & forming theories from experiments & observations

New Ideas in Europe

• Enlightenment

• “Age of Reason”

• Used logic & reason to seek ways to improve world

John Locke

Colonial Education

•Few could afford formal education

•Availability varied

•New England: education closely linked with religion

Colonial Education

• 1636: Harvard University established

• Education usually ended with grade school

• Some went to study in England Harvard

University Shield

Colonial Scientists

• American Philosophical Society: founded in 1743 to improve

communication among colonial scientists

Colonial Scientists

•David Rittenhouse: designed mathematical & astronomical instruments

David Rittenhouse

Colonial Scientists

•Benjamin Banneker: free African American astronomer & surveyor

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Published The

Philadelphia Gazette

Benjamin Franklin

Published Poor

Richard’s Almanac

Benjamin Franklin

Franklin Stove

Benjamin Franklin

Bifocals

Benjamin Franklin

Franklin Stove

Benjamin Franklin

Kite Experimen

t

Benjamin Franklin

Lightning Rod

Benjamin Franklin

Glass Armonica

Benjamin Franklin

•Library•University of Pennsylvania•First president of the American

Philosophical Society•Police Department•Fire Department

Colonial Writers & Artists

• Anne Bradstreet: poet whose work encouraged the love of family & dedication to faith

Anne Bradstreet

Colonial Writers & Artists

•Phillis Wheatley: African American poet who used religious language and imagery

Phillis Wheatley