Which Enlightenment principle motivated John Peter Zenger to defy British law? A. the idea that he had a natural right to express criticism of corrupt government
B. the belief that understanding could best be gained by public access to court records
C. the principle that government required the consent of the governed to stay in power
D. the precedent that religious leaders ought not to serve in government or impose religious laws

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A.  

the idea that he had a natural right to express criticism of corrupt government

Explanation:

Peter Zenger was a New York publisher who was accused of seditious libel (which according to dictionary.com is written/spoken words that defame the government). Zenger's trial was held from 1734-1735 in New York. Zenger was accused of libel by New York governor, William Cosby after Zenger's publication, the Weekly Journal, printed unflattering editorials about the governor's actions. Andrew Hamilton defended Zenger and eventually won the case, lifting some of the restrictions on freedom of press.

Historical Significance:

Zenger's trial drew attention to freedom of press and the individual colonists' interpretation of the law. The final verdict ruled that as long as the articles were factually true, they could not be called libelous, even if they criticized the government or government officials. The verdict planted seeds for what would eventually grow into the American Revolution, for once the colonists got a taste of freedom and were able to comment about and make changes to their own government, they no longer believed in the power or justice of British rule. Today, American citizens assert their right to "freedom of the press," an issue that took root in America because of Zenger's trial.

Antony van Leeuwenhoek was an unlikely scientist. A tradesman of Delft, Holland, he came from a family of tradesmen, had no fortune, received no higher education or university degrees, and knew no languages other than his native Dutch. This would have been enough to exclude him from the scientific community of his time completely. Yet with skill, diligence, an endless curiosity, and an open mind free of the scientific dogma of his day, Leeuwenhoek succeeded in making some of the most important discoveries in the history of biology. It was he who discovered bacteria, free-living and parasitic microscopic protists, sperm cells, blood cells, microscopic nematodes and rotifers, and much more. His researches, which were widely circulated, opened up an entire world of microscopic life to the awareness of scientists.

Explanation: