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Table of Contents
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt, or simply Alexander von Humboldt, was a known Prussian polymath who worked as a geographer, naturalist, and explorer. As one of the founders of Romantic philosophy and science, Humboldt believed that βnature is perfect till man deforms it with care.β He made key contributions to the fields of botanical geography, ecology, and geomagnetic and meteorological monitoring.
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Key Facts & Information
BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY AND FAMILY
- The life of Alexander von Humboldt spanned from September 14, 1769, until May 6, 1858.
- He was born in Berlin, Prussia when it was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
- He died at 89 in Berlin, Prussia, part of the German Confederation.
- Humboldt was baptized as a Lutheran. His godfather was the Duke of Brunswick.
- His father, Alexander Georg von Humboldt, came from a line of prominent Pomeranians.
- Georg von Humboldt served with the Duke of Brunswick in the Prussian Army and was later awarded the post of royal chamberlain.
- Humboldtβs mother, Maria Elisabeth Colomb, married Georg in 1766.
- Georg and Maria Elisabeth had three children; their daughter died young, and they were left with two sons, Wilhelm and Alexander.
- Wilhelm von Humboldt, Humboldt’s older brother, grew up to become a prominent Prussian minister, linguist, and philosopher.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
- The Humboldt brothers were left with their emotionally distant mother when Alexander Georg died in 1779.
- Expecting much from Wilhelm and Alexander, their mother hired excellent tutors such as Kantian physician Marcus Herz and notable German botanist Karl Ludwig Willdenow to teach the brothers.
- When Humboldt was young, he was nicknamed “little apothecary” for his knack for collecting and putting labels on plants, shells, and insects.
- In 1787, Humboldt spent six months studying finance at the University of Frankfurt, a university his mother preferred, as it was relatively close to their home.
- Humboldt transferred from Frankfurt to the University of GΓΆttingen on April 25, 1789. There, he met Georg Forster, a naturalist who accompanied British explorer Captain James Cook on his second voyage.
- Humboldt explored Europe together with Foster; they embarked on journeys to England, the Netherlands, and France.
- He met Sir Joseph Banks, an English naturalist, and botanist, in England, with whom he became close friends due to their shared interest in science.
- From his explorations, Humboldt wrote the treatise βMineralogic Observations on Several Basalts on the River Rhineβ in 1789.
- In 1790, Humboldt enrolled in the School of Mines in Freiberg in Saxony and graduated two years later.
- At the School of Mines, Humboldtβs daily schedule went as follows: be in the mines in the morning, take classes in the afternoon, then search for interesting plants on his evening walks.
- From 1793 to 1797, Humboldt worked as a government mine inspector in Franconia, Prussia.
- While working as a government mines inspector, he invented a safety lamp.
- He also founded a technical school for people wanting to be miners.
HUMBOLDTβS EXPLORATIONS
- Humboldt traveled across four continents and authored over 36 books and 25,000 letters about his explorations, research, and findings.
- Maria Elisabeth, Humboldtβs mother, passed away in 1796 when he was 27 years old. On her death, he received a large inheritance that he would later use in his future explorations.
- Humboldt left his work for the government and started to travel in 1797.
- He traveled to Madrid with AimΓ© Bonpland, a French botanist and explorer. There, they obtained a permit that allowed them to explore South America.
- On June 5, 1799, Humboldt and AimΓ© boarded the ship, Pizarro.
- They first explored Tenerife, particularly the Teide volcano.
- They landed at Cumana, Venezuela, on July 16, 1799.
- While exploring South America, they studied its topography, flora, and fauna.
- More than 1,700 miles of the Orinoco River were successfully mapped by Humboldt within a year.
- In the Andes, he climbed the top of Mt. Chimborazo, which at the time, was believed to be the world’s highest peak. However, he only managed to climb over 18,000 feet.
- In 1803, Humboldt and AimΓ© reached the city of Acapulco in Mexico.
- In 1804, Humboldt made an unplanned trip to the United States, where he met prominent scientists and U.S. president Thomas Jefferson.
- He concluded his travels in Latin America in 1804.
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS
- Humboldt also held several public lectures in Berlin in 1827.
- In Lima, Peru, Humboldt was able to observe Mercury’s transit.
- He discovered and measured the ocean current, which flows north along the western coast of South America, now known as the Humboldt Current.
- During his travels, Humboldt also invented a means to chart mean temperatures around the globe, now known as isotherms.
- He proposed the theory that plate tectonics caused the spreading of continental landmasses.
- He was among the first people to put forward the idea that the lands bordering the Atlantic Ocean, which were South America and Africa, were once joined.
- He also charted air and water movements to create bands of climate at various latitudes and altitudes.
- Taking the word from ancient Greek vocabulary, Humboldt entitled his multi-volume treatise βCosmosβ wherein he wrote about different branches of scientific knowledge in a cohesive manner and as an interacting entity.
- βCosmosβ started as Humboldtβs lecture series at the University of Berlin, which evolved into a publication in five volumes between 1845 and 1862.
- Based on his travels, Humboldt described the link between local climate change and deforestation.
- Humboldt wrote a total of 30 volumes discussing various fields of study when he traveled to Paris in 1804.
- Twenty-three years of Humboldtβs life were spent in Paris as he mingled with other intellectuals with whom he shared his interests.
- To pursue a more stable source of income when his inheritance ran out, Humboldt became one of the advisors of the King of Prussia.
- In 1829, Humboldt was invited to explore Russia, where he found diamonds in the Ural gold mines.
- He created individual monographs on the subjects of botany, geology, astronomy, mineralogy, and zoology.
- He also collected data for an isothermal world map in Russia.
DEATH
- Alexander von Humboldt’s health began to decline on February 24, 1857, when he suffered a minor stroke.
- His death occurred two years after, at the age of 89.
- Alexander von Humboldt died on May 6, 1859.
Alexander von Humboldt Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Alexander von Humboldt across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Alexander von Humboldt, who was a known Prussian polymath who worked as a geographer, naturalist, and explorer.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Alexander von Humboldt Facts
- Biographical Notes
- Branches of Science
- Alexander the Explorer
- Sequencing Events
- According to Alexander
- Cosmos Quotes
- Achievement Checklist
- Great Geographers
- Alexander Recap
- Interview Portion
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Humboldt famous for?
Alexander von Humboldt’s journey in South America lasted from 1799 to 1804. He was a nature researcher and explorer. His research during his time in South America led to many advances in the field of science.
What is Alexander von Humboldt’s theory?
Alexander von Humboldt believed that all living things were connected. He said this was the “unity of nature.” He saw that people were harming the environment and how it was causing climate change.
Who is known as the father of human ecology?
Humboldt was the first scientist to study how organisms interact with their surroundings, and he is therefore considered the father of ecology.
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