The Trial of Galileo

The Trial of Galileo was a 1610s legal conflict when the Italian scientist supported Copernicus’s idea that Earth orbits the Sun, which challenged the Church’s teachings that Earth was the universe's center. In 1616, the Church warned Galileo not to promote heliocentrism. Despite this, he published "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" in 1632, defending heliocentrism. He was then tried by the Inquisition in 1633, found guilty of heresy, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. The trial highlighted the conflict between scientific discovery and religious authority during that era.