During the history of Europe, no time was more fruitful than the
             years immediately after the Middle Ages. This time was also
             known as the Renaissance. People lived under the rule of
             enlightened kings, reformed churches, and the artistic
             masterpieces of the day. These three great organizations
             encouraged the development of all three of the major areas of
             society. First, great astronomers and mathematicians
             drastically resolved the way that the world was viewed.
             Second, the church, which had previously been an instrument
             of social oppression and terror, became more reformed and
             enlightened in it's approaches, though these changes did not
             come along easily. Finally, the great Renaissance architects,
             painters, and sculptors created works of unparalleled skill.
             These beneficial trends did not end until the violent warfare of
             the 17th century. Before the Scientific Revolution, all
             European "scientists" accepted without question the
             geocentric world-view presented by the Bible and classic
             Roman and Greek philosophers, like Aristotle. The people of
             Europe, including the church, believed that God had
             purposefully placed Earth at the center of the universe
             because of the human race's uniqueness. The first man to
             challenge t...