Galileo Galilei's Life
Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy on February 15, 1564. His family was noble however they were not rich. His dad was a well known musician and he wanted Galileo to study medicine. Galileo went to the University of Pisa in 1581 and majored in medicine until he discovered his skill in mathematics and dropped out to tutor math. In 1589 he became a professor of mathematics at the University of Pisa. Later, in 1610, the Duke of Tuscany made Galileo the chief mathematician and philosopher which gave him more time to invent and study. Galileo met his wife (whom he had 3 children with) in 1599 and stayed together with her until death, although they were never officially married. Galileo died in Arcetri, January 8th, 1642.
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Inventions
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Throughout Galileo's life he made many ground breaking discoveries that opened the way for modern mathematical and scientific study. In 1609 he converted a spyglass into a telescope using his skills in mathematics and technology. Although he was not the first person to construct a telescope he was one of the first. The telescope led to his first discovery. Galileo was the first to discover that the moon was not smooth but full of dunes with pits and hills. Galileo also discovered 4 of Jupiter's moons with his telescopes. Since Galileo had free time because he was the chief mathematician of Tuscany he was able to write books and make other ground breaking discoveries like the law of the pendulum, the law of falling bodies or gravity, the hydrostatic balance, the phases of the planet Venus, and a military compass or sector.
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Imprisonment
Galileo’s view on the Copernican theory is what got him jailed and put in house arrest for life. As Galileo learned more and more about astronomy he began to realize that the earth and other planets revolved around the sun. The catholic church and its people believed that everything revolved around the earth, therefore the inquisitors (people who set out to punish heretic or people who defied the churches teachings) did not take this kindly. After meeting with the pope they agreed that Galileo would be free if he did not support the Copernican theory or defy the church's teachings. all was well till a new book in 1632 stated that the Copernican theory was correct. The church decided to put him in jail for life but let him stay under house arrest due to his old age and health issues. He wrote another book and still studied the skies and other theories and became blind while under house arrest until he died in 1652 in Arcetri.
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Modern Day Effect
This is a modern day telescope in an observatory.
Galileo's discoveries and teachings set the pathway for major achievements in society. His discoveries with gravity and the law of the pendulum made the way for many big inventions. Such as the first reliable means of telling time, the pendulum clock and more advanced telescopes. His discoveries in astronomy were the first of its kind and led to modern day science of Astronomy. And for all we know without Galileo we could still be thinking we were the center of the solar system and that the moon is flat.
Works Cited
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