DBQ

Scientists today have it much easier than did the scientists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These of the past did in fact make a multitude of amazing advances, but they could have had more of an opportunity if it were not for the standards of their time. Many social restraints kept them from moving forward, and they did not have such freedom as the scientists of today simply take for granted. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the work of scientists was sometimes aided by the government or the church through the funding of experiments by patrons and nobility, but, as a whole, was negatively affected because of pressures from the church and government to not go against their teachings and many other restrictions. 


Many of the significant experiments performed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were funded by authorities of the church or government. Sometimes even noblemen funded experiments, if they happened to be intrigued by science. One scientists, Nicolaus Copernicus, writes a letter to Pope Paul III in which he praises him for his love of science: "you are regarded as the most eminent by virtue of the dignity of your Office, and because of your love of letters and science" (Doc 1). Scientists were often not the most wealthy men back then, and so without the aid of the patrons many of their groundbreaking discoveries would not have been possible. However, even such a great help created restrictions. Because these noble men were paying for their work, scientists had to greatly respect them and let them approve everything they do. "My book is still in your hands and subject to your private judgement," writes French scientist Marin Marsenne to his patron (Doc 5). Sometimes these patrons did not approve everything, even if it was correct. They simply did not want anyone going against what they said or taught.

The church in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was the main authority in many countries. They controlled the education of the people, among many other things. If a scientist, like Galileo for example, went against their teaching and compromised their power, they would not be happy.