What was the Scientific Revolution, and name a key figure?

• A. A period of methodological shifts toward empirical observation; Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton
• B. A decline in scientific inquiry and the church's dominance; Copernicus
• C. A geographic expansion of trade routes; Newton
• D. A political reform movement in Europe; Galileo

Answer: (C)

The central idea here is a shift in how people study the natural world. The Scientific Revolution marks a move from relying mainly on authorities and ancient texts to testing ideas through careful observation, controlled experiments, and mathematical description. This change in approach created a new standard for evidence and a framework that underpins modern science.

A key figure you can name is Copernicus, Galileo, or Newton—each embodies the shift: Copernicus challenged the geocentric model with a heliocentric view, Galileo used observations and experimentation to test ideas about motion and astronomy, and Newton unified these advances with laws of motion and gravitation. This combination of new methods and groundbreaking ideas is what defines the Scientific Revolution.

The other descriptions don’t fit this focus: it isn’t about a decline in inquiry, a political reform movement, or the expansion of trade routes.