New Knowledge of Human Beings and
Society (Palmer text, section 29)
AP European History
Androstic
2012-2013
Review:
What does the
illustration to the
right illustrate
about the views of
the Scientific
Revolution of the
17th century?
Cover of the
Rudolphine
Tables, Johannes
Kepler, 1627
Consequences of the Scientific Revolution
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Explosion of scientific thought
Growth of scientific institutions (Royal Society of London (1662), Royal
Academy of Sciences (France, 1666)
Scientific publications help spread ideas faster
Scientific improvements (navigation and mapmaking, advancing military
technologies, tidal charts, steam power)
Increased skepticism, conflict between science and religion
Confidence in human ability
Reinforcement of natural law/natural rights
Economic and social changes
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Taxes to pay for development of military
Agricultural and industrial improvement
Growth of Skepticism
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Europeans realized the vastness and difference of the
world
Elites became skeptical of old assumptions
 Need for evidence
 Decline in which trials (illustrates divide between
elite and popular cultures)
Historical scholarship
Chronology
Religious Scholarship
Montaigne’s Essay on Cannibals
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Example of growing
skepticism
Cannibals probably
think our customs odd
or inhuman
Beliefs are relative to
time and place (many
beliefs have no
scientific foundation)
Need for Evidence
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Affected law and
witchcraft
Sufficient evidence
needed regardless of
accusation
Confessions gained
through torture not
sufficient evidence
Historical Scholarship
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Knowledge of past reliant on remaining
evidence
Historical science faced skepticism
Scholars tried to find reliable evidence to
determine accurate history
Paleography – deciphering/authenticating
manuscripts
Numismatics – study of currency/coinage
Chronology
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Age of the world, finding common
denominator between dating
systems of various people
Creation of the world?
Relationship in dates of all
civilizations?
Gregorian vs. Julian calendar
Necessity of uniform dating?
James Usher:
Claimed world was
created in 4004 B.C.
Religious Scholarship
The bible faced textual criticisms that had been
applied to secular documents
Richard Simon
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Critical History of the
Old Testament
questioned legitimacy of
some books of the O.T.
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Doubtful/unknown origins
Monks made errors in
copying
Evidence of info inserted
later
Baruch Spinoza
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Developed pantheism –
God had no existence
apart from the world
(some called it atheism)
Denied inspiration of
bible, miracles,
supernatural
Controversial – people
afraid to read his writings
John Locke
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True knowledge is
derived from
experience (Who does
that sound like?)
Tabula rasa
promoted common
sense, improved human
society, and confidence
in social progress
Questions to assess your understanding:
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Whose ideas were the basis for Europeans’ (geocentric) view of the universe?
Which astronomers contributed to the destruction of the geocentric view of the universe?
Who postulated the heliocentric view of the universe?
What does empiricism emphasize?
Who created the modern scientific method?
Who put forth the three laws of planetary motion?
Who formulated the law of universal gravitation?
What was Galileo’s greatest achievement?
Who wrote On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres? What is its significance?
Who wrote Principia? What is its significance?
Who postulated the theory of inertia? What did it state?
What are the significant consequences of the scientific revolution?
It’s time to learn a new
skill!
PERSIA
How can this strategy be used in AP European
History?
PERSIA
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PERSIA is a strategy
of thinking about a
civilization/society.
The acronym PERSIA
stands for:
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Political
Economic
Religious
Social
Intellectual
Arts
How can PERSIA be useful to you?
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When completing an FRQ (Free Response
Question) or a DBQ (Document-Based
Question), thinking of these societal
conditions can help you make connections
necessary in your analysis.
Example FRQs that could use
PERSIA:
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Discuss the political and social consequences of the
Protestant Reformation in the first half of the
sixteenth century. (Test 2)
How and to what extent did the Commercial
Revolution transform the European economy and
diplomatic balance of power in the period from
1650-1763? (Test 3)
Compare and contrast the triumph of
constitutionalism in England and Holland with the
triumph of absolutism in France. (Test 4)
How can PERSIA be useful to you?
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In multiple-choice questions, you can use
PERSIA to eliminate choices (if the question
deals with a political characteristic, eliminate
choices that deal with economics/religion).
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Two examples from past AP Exams follow…