Name
Class
The Renaissance and the Reformation
Date
Primary Source
Letter to the Grand Duchess
Christina of Tuscany (1615) by
Galileo Galilei
ABOUT THE READING Sometimes new
scientific discoveries are not very popular. In
fact, there was great trouble when Galileo
Galilei (1564–1642) agreed with his fellow
scientist Nicolaus Copernicus that the earth
and the other planets revolved around the
sun. This thinking caused an uproar, particularly with the church, because at the time it
was believed the sun and planets revolved
around the earth. In this letter, Galileo
describes how others initially reacted to his
belief and explains why the church is wrong
to doubt his theory. Later, the Roman Catholic
Church forced him to publicly take back his
statements about the sun and placed him
under house arrest.
VOCABULARY
novelty newness
demonstrated showed
vain worthless
resolve determination
celestial outer space
As you read, note the reaction that other people
have to Galileo’s thoughts. Why might his ideas
be so unpopular?
To the Most Serene Grand Duchess Mother:
Some years ago, as Your Serene Highness well knows,
I discovered in the heavens many things that had
not been seen before our own age. The novelty of
these things, as well as some consequences which
followed from them in contradiction to the
physical notions commonly held among academic
philosophers, stirred up against me no small
number of professors—as if I had placed these
Galileo made his own telescope
and used it to make important
discoveries.
These things were at odds with the
ideas of educated people.
From Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo: Translated with an
Introduction and Notes by Stillman Drake
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
14
The Renaissance and the Reformation
Name
Class
Date
Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, continued
Primary Source
things in the sky with my own hands in order to
upset nature and overturn the sciences. . .
Showing a greater fondness for their own
opinions than for truth, they sought to deny and
disprove the new things which, if they had cared to
look for themselves, their own senses would have
demonstrated to them. To this end they hurled
various charges and published numerous writings
filled with vain arguments, and they made the grave
mistake of sprinkling these with passages taken
from places in the Bible which they had failed to
understand properly, and which were ill-suited to
their purposes. . .
Persisting in their original resolve to destroy
me and everything mine by any means they can
think of, these men are aware of my views in
astronomy and philosophy. They know that as to
the arrangement of the parts of the universe, I hold
the sun to be situated motionless in the center of
the revolution of the celestial orbs while the earth
revolves about the sun. . .
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. According to Galileo, what are some reasons people opposed his opinion? Do you
think these reasons are valid? Why or why not?
2. From his statements in the second paragraph, what can you infer about Galileo’s
opinion of his critics?
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
15
The Renaissance and the Reformation
Answer Key
Literature Protestant
Hymns
History and Geography
MAP ACTIVITY
1. Florence, Milan, Venice, and Genoa should
CALL-OUT BOXES
be circled.
1. the birth of Jesus Christ
2. to indicate that he is referring to Jesus
3. Hath, feedeth, doth, leadeth, and careth
2. Venice and Genoa should be marked with
an X.
should be underlined.
3. Route should be a straight line between
ANALYZING LITERATURE
4. Route should be a straight line between
Genoa and Milan.
Venice and Milan.
1. God and Christian beliefs
2. The hymns support Christian beliefs, are
ANALYZING MAPS
easy to understand, and provide an
enjoyable way of teaching those beliefs in
song.
1. Genoa
2. by land
3. Naples is farther from Europe than cit-
ies in northern Italy. Goods shipped to
Naples would have had to travel a greater
distance to reach Europe.
4. Answers will vary. One possible route is
for goods to have traveled over land to the
southern tip of Italy and then to have been
shipped by sea to Sicily. Another possible
route is for goods to have traveled over
land to Naples and then been shipped by
sea to Sicily. A third option is for goods to
have traveled over land to Genoa and then
been shipped by sea to Sicily.
Primary Source Portrait
of Giuliano de’ Medici by
Sandro Botticelli
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Possible response: The creases in the
subject’s neck and the folds in his tunic
are lifelike details. Botticelli’s use of
shading also creates a three-dimensional,
lifelike image.
2. Possible response: Botticelli might have
chosen a simple image for the background
so that the viewer would focus on the
person, not the rest of the painting.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Answers will vary. Student papers should
include a business plan and a labeled map.
Primary Source Letter
to the Grand Duchess
Christina of Tuscany
(1615) by Galileo Galilei
Social Studies Skills
PRACTICE AND APPLY THE SKILL
1. 1525–49
2. They rose somewhat more quickly and
were higher during most of the time.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
3. 1475–99 and 1500–24
4. England’s
5. Costs of basic goods rose substantially,
1. People opposed his opinion because it
was new and because it went against
everything they previously believed.
Possible response: These reasons are not
valid; if scientists support new theories
with valid evidence, then these theories
should at least be considered.
2. You can infer he thinks they are arrogant
and ignorant because they value their own
opinions above truth.
creating hardship for many people.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
28
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The Renaissance and the Reformation
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