Women In Science

Question 1

Describe

Answer 1

Give a detailed account of a situation, event, pattern or process

Question 2

Summarize

Answer 2

A general theme or major points

Question 3

Explain

Answer 3

Detailed account including reasons or causes

Question 4

How did women contribute to the Scientific Revolution

Answer 4

**3 main female scientists of the 17th century: **
* Margaret Cavendish, a philosopher,
* Maria Winkelmann an astronomer
* Sophia Brahe a horticulturist

Question 5

Who was Margaret Cavendish

Answer 5

• philosopher who wrote a number of pieces critiquing the experimental sciences of Bacon and criticized the microscope as an imperfect machine.
• Especially critical of the belief that humans, through science were the masters of nature.
• English and from an aristocratic family. She was one of the only females who published under her own name.
• At the time she was not taken seriously as she was a women.
• Most women of the time wrote anonymously or under fake names.

Question 6

Who was Maria Winkelmann

Answer 6

• A german astronomer who received training from her husband who was one of the biggest astronomers of the time.
• Discovered the first comet which was called the Comet of 1702
• Her husband took credit as she couldn’t take credit in her own name as she would have been ridiculed.
• In 1709 she wrote an important piece on the conjunction of Saturn and Venus with the Sun.
• She faced many problems being a woman in science including being turned down for important jobs.
• Scientific work was considered to be a man’s job and that view remained for all of the seventeenth century and beyond where the woman’s role was meant to be at home.

Question 7

Who was Sophia Brahe

Answer 7

• An astronomer who assisted her brother in making astronomical measurements that became the basis for modern planetary orbet predictions.
• She assisted with predictions that led to the discovery of the supernova that is now called SN 1572 as well as observations of the 1573 lunar eclipse.
• Her family also disliked her work and condemned her for studying science.

Question 8

Example Question

What was women’s social, economical and political status at the time?

Answer 8

• Women in society at the time held the role of managing the family, staying home and looking after their children.
• Girls were not allowed to go to normal school in the seventeenth century and were taught basic subjects such as reading and sewing.
• Anything in the sciences was considered a man’s jobs and women were not viewed as intelligent enough to be considered for any jobs outside of the home.
• They were not involved in politics or the church either nor did they contribute in any way to the economics of society.

Question 9

Example Question

How did the obstacles women scientists faced impact their practice?

Answer 9

• Given the role women held in society at the time they would have faced many challenges if they were interested in science.
• Firstly they did not have access to education. They would have to have access to male figures in their lives such as a husband like Winkelmann or a brother like Brahe to help teach them and allow them to work on important projects.
• They also faced not being taken seriously by anyone and not being listened to.
• Women scientists at the time often wrote articles anonymously or they would be ridiculed and their findings would not be taken seriously.
• These challenges would have hindered there abilities to progress to their true potential