Browse Items (202 total)

This is an engraving of the Gustavianum, the oldest standing building in Uppsala University. It owes both its name and construction to Gustavus Adolphus, a Swedish king who enacted many reforms in the country. Sweden was largely ignored by Europe,…

In 1685 France revoked the Edict of Nantes which resulted in the flight 200,000 - 250,000 French Huguenots out of France (Laborie 5). Ironically, this act of intolerance prompted the start of the trend of state-sponsored religious tolerance that…

Released in 1689, this engraving of Robert Boyle (1627-1691) presents a portrait of one of the great natural philosophers of the Scientific Revolution. Widely considered to be the first modern chemist, Boyle contributed to the understanding of air…

“On the day when King Abí Abdilehi shall surrender the fortresses and tower, Their Highnesses shall order that his son shall be returned to him, along with all the hostages, and their wives and children, with the exception of those who have converted…

John Locke is also heavily influenced by Machiavelli even though it is less apparent on the surface. Locke states in the Second Treatise that that have to be rules the guide and limit the power of a ruler. This is based off Machiavelli’s political…

Francois Boucher, a notable rococo painter of the 18th century, developed a keen interest for ‘the Orient,’ and produced a variety of paintings depicting Chinese subject matter, architecture, and themes. Being an armchair traveler, he based his…

Philosopher Immanuel Kant defined the Enlightenment, an 18th century intellectual movement, as “man’s emergence from his self-imposed…inability to use…understanding without another’s guidance” (Jacob 203). Kant argues that there are two ways to use…

In 1766, King Charles III implemented a policy banning long capes and broad-brimmed hats, despite the populace’s growing resentment towards rising prices (Brading, 536). Charles hoped the change in wardrobe would modernize the appearance of his…

Francis Drake was a prominent English privateer and naval commander under Queen Elizabeth I, favored for his notable skirmishes against the Spanish Armada and his 1580 circumnavigation of the globe. In this letter to Elizabeth, Drake describes his…

Francis Bacon was a natural philosopher from England who introduced the scientific method through two publications, The Advancement of Learning and Novum Organum. To him, the basis of natural philosophy could be found in observation (Wiesner-Hanks,…

This short text, written by Francis Bacon illustrates a rather important aspect of the Scientific Revolution- that of patronage and the importance of powerful backers in scientific endeavors. While the contents of his discovery is also interesting,…

Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446), one of the most prominent architects of early Renaissance, designed Ospedale degli Innocenti. The "Hospital of the Innocents" was built in mind for infants who had been abandoned by their parents and is one of the…