Storiascopio · Era 9 of 12 · lower secondary year 2
Newton publishes the Principia
1687 · Cambridge and London, England
In short
Isaac Newton, a professor at the University of Cambridge, published a book in Latin called the Principia in 1687. In it he explained three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation: the same force makes an apple fall and keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth. Using mathematics he was able to calculate the motion of planets and comets and to explain the tides. It was his friend the astronomer Edmond Halley who persuaded him to publish it, paying for the printing out of his own pocket.
Why it matters For the first time the same laws applied on Earth and in the sky: modern physics was born.
Source: Treccani, entry “Newton, Isaac”
Where we are in the era “Early modern age”
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about 1420Event 25 of 251687
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/newton-publishes-the-principia/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class