Answer 1
I agree that Niklas Koppernigk (or Nicolaus Copernicus, as he is better known in the English speaking world) was a central figure in the course of what would develop to a scientific revolution. The fact that he took a theory that was widely accepted –Aristotle’s view of the planetary system which was also adopted by the Hellenistic astronomer Ptolemy- tested it and when he reached different conclusions published his results, is the basis of scientific methodology.
I also agree with you that the Catholic Church was not at all happy with the new developments as it felt they challenged its authority. I would also to add however, that Luther, who led the Reformation that established Protestantism in parts of Europe, also turned against Copernicus’ findings to the point that he even ridiculed them. Copernicus however, had already set an example that would be followed by many others, like those you mention and others, like the astronomer Brahe and the mathematician Kepler.
Answer 2
I agree with you that the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries changed the way many people viewed the world, with personalities like those of Copernicus, Kepler, Newton and Descartes among many others, putting the foundations of modern science and changing radically our views of the Earth and the universe. Their work opened new roads of thinking and challenged the beliefs of the Catholic Church and to a certain extent its authority.
I doubt however, that for the greatest part of the population, the notion of God and faith were challenged. I believe that this is a more contemporary notion that is probably based in the findings of this first scientific revolution.
I also find very interesting the sentence where you mention that with the scientific revolution, the people now relied on observation in order to learn the truth. I believe that this is one of the most important aspects of the period and one that has contributed tremendously to science in the centuries that followed.
