The Enlightenment
was a movement of thinkers who believed that science could explain
everything in nature. Until then, most people
believed that god controlled the universe in a "metaphysical" manner.
Metaphysical means "beyond physical," and suggests that it is impossible
for humans to comprehend things that happen in our environment.
Galileo was one of the first thinkers
of the Enlightenment. Galileo used a powerful telescope to discover
that many moons surrounded Jupiter. He used his discoveries to prove
the Copernicus' theory that the earth traveled around the sun. The
church was opposed to Galileo's discovery. Galileo was imprisoned
for heresy and printers were forbidden to print and of Galileo's
writings. His students continued to discuss his teachings and in
time, the ideas of using observations and measurement were to become
the root of modern science.
The thinkers of the Enlightenment encouraged
people to use science to explore nature and to question what they
had always accepted without questioning. The Enlightenment encouraged
people to participate in government and to rethink old ideas like
feudalism and primogeniture. The American Revolution was seen by
many as a huge achievement for the Enlightenment. Two hundred years
ago, our Constitution provided for a government where nobody was
above the law. People had freedoms of speech and religion, and the
press would be allowed to print any true statement.
The Enlightenment also had a negative
aspect. Many of the thinkers were atheists, who did not believe
in god. They often attacked religion and the faithful. Many were
also bloodthirsty in attempting to reach their goals. The French
Revolution and the "Reign of Terror" were two episodes of history
that ended the period known as the Enlightenment.
