Dissection - GCSE History Definition

In GCSE History, dissection means cutting open and examining a human body to learn more about how it works. Dissection has been really important in helping doctors understand anatomy and improve medical knowledge. In ancient times, the Roman physician Galen could not dissect human bodies, so he dissected animals instead. This led to mistakes in our understanding of anatomy because human and animal bodies are different. In the Renaissance, Andreas Vesalius was able to dissect real human bodies and proved that Galen was wrong about parts of the human anatomy, such as how the jawbone is in one part, not two. Studying dissection helps students see how scientific thinking and a willingness to question old ideas led to major improvements in understanding the human body over time.