Throughout history, people have looked up into the starry night sky and wondered what lay beyond the bonds of Earth. The Renaissance marked an era lasting from 1350 to 1650 that sparked a rebirth in art, music, science, mathematics, and exploration. It started in northern Italy and took root in the classical writings of ancient Greek and Roman scholars. New ideas led leaders to believe that education was the key to a successful society, and that not only the rich should have the opportunity to learn. Additionally, public schools significantly decreased the population of illiterate Europeans, and the ability to read allowed common people to form their own opinions. As more and more people became educated, the public urged scientists and astronomers …show more content…
He was born into a family of copper merchants and was the youngest of four children. In 1483, Copernicus’ father died, so he was sent to live with his paternal uncle who had vowed he would provide him with a quality education. The first university Copernicus attended was the University of Cracow where he studied mathematics and art. However, he ultimately became a Church Canon due to a personal connection. In October of 1496, Copernicus enrolled in the University of Bologna where he met Domenico Maria Novara, an astronomer. Through the study of medicine, which was closely aligned with astronomy at the time, and the mentoring of Novara, Copernicus became a skillful astronomer. In 1512, he released a paper titled “The Commentariolus” that stated the basic ideas of the Heliocentric theory. However, for fear of being accused of heresy, he did not publish the work and only sent it to his close colleagues. In the late 1530’s, Copernicus worked with an associate name Georg Rheticus to finalize the book he later released, De Revolutions. Throughout his life, Copernicus was influenced by many bright astronomers of the time, and the variety of subjects he studied allowed him to become a true Renaissance