Student Page

Task

The year is 1615. Your name is Galileo Galelei. You have just received a letter informing you that you are one of the scientists who has been called before the court (Inquisition of Catholic Church) to explain your support of the theory that the Earth rotates around the Sun.

(Click here for letter)

This is a very serious accusation. If you are labeled a heretic, according to the common belief of the time, you will not go to heaven, be ridiculed, and possibly put to death while on Earth.

Your task is going to be to prepare a presentation of your theory of the revolution of the Earth rotating around the Sun and present it before the inquisition of the Catholic Church. Your goal is to avoid being labeled a heretic. This will only be done by a well researched and thought out presentation.

 The Process

Step 1:

• Research and discover what Galileo believes about the rotation of the Earth around the Sun
• You are looking for the answers to the following questions
  1. Who was Copernicus and what were his theories on the rotation of the Earth around the Sun?
  2. Who was Galileo Galilei and why was he an important figure in history?
  3. What inventions allowed Galileo to further prove the theory of Copernicus?
  4. How does this theory compare to what we believe about the rotation of the Earth around the Sun today?
• Open up Microsoft Word
• Click on File
• Double click on New
• Double Click on Blank Document.
• Click on File
• Click on Save As (Note: you will have to specify what drive you want it saved to.)
• Save as Galileo
• As you are researching, cut and copy information or copy diagrams you come across about Galileo's beliefs of the rotation of the Earth around the Sun and paste them in the word document you have created. The cut, copy, and paste buttons can be found under edit.
• After you are done researching, go through and delete any information you feel is not important.
• Answer the questions using the information you have gathered.

Step 2:

• Research and discover what the Catholic Church believes about the rotation of the Sun around the Earth.
• You are looking for the answers to the following questions
  1. Why did the Catholic Church reject the theory of the Earth rotating around the Sun.
  2. What was the Inquisition in the time period Galileo lived in?
  3. What influences did the Catholic Church have on daily life during the time Galileo lived in? Explain. Does this hold true today?
  4. What was the Catholic Church's attitude toward scientists and their new theories during the time period Galileo lived in?
• Open up Microsoft Word
• Click on File
• Double click on New
• Double Click on Blank Document.
• Click on File
• Click on Save As (Note: you will have to specify what drive you want it saved to.)
• Save as Church
• As you are researching, cut and copy information or copy diagrams you come across about the Catholic Church's belief of the rotation of the Sun around the Earth and paste them in the word document you have created.
• After you are done researching, go through and delete any information you feel is not important.
• Answer the questions using the information you have gathered.

Step 3:

• On a Venn Diagram, write the similarities and differences of the theories of Galileo and the Catholic Church. You can print a Venn diagram by clicking here.

Step 4:

• Using your Venn Diagram, draw, paste, or design a diagram or picture of your support of the Copernican theory of the Earth rotating around the Sun and place it on one half of a poster board. Also write the answers to the above questions about Galileo under your diagram.
• On the other half of the poster board, using your Venn Diagram, prepare and draw. paste, or design a diagram of the Catholic Church's opinion on the rotation of Sun around the Earth. Also write the answers to the above questions about the Catholic Church under your diagram.

Step 5:

• Give a presentation before the inquisition of the Catholic Church, describing your theory about the Earth rotating around the Sun. Be sure to also present the Catholic Church's theory and provide evidence to refute their position. Also, be prepared to receive questions about your theory.

Extension Activities

Activity #1

• Using your Venn Diagram, create an advertising/propaganda poster that persuades the public to support your position and/or attacks the position of the Catholic Church. You can print a Venn diagram by clicking here.

Activity #2 

• In 1992, the Catholic Church recalled its decision almost 400 years before hand in the second trial of Galileo. The Catholic Church said that they "wronged" Galileo in labeling him a heretic. What took so long? Why do you believe it took the Catholic Church 400 years to admit they were wrong even though there was overwhelming evidence against them? Create a newspaper article, including a picture and reaction, covering this event in 1992 and giving your opinions.

pictures courtesy of astronomy.com