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Alexander
Von Humboldt
by Theo K.
Alexander von Humboldt was a famous scientist and explorer. Alexander von Humboldt traveled all over the world and made many scientific discoveries. Alexander von Humboldt was born on September 14, 1769 in Berlin, Germany. His father died when he was nine years old. He and his brother were taught at home by tutors until he went to college. When he turned 17, Alexander von Humboldt attended the University of Gottingen and his favorite subject was botany – the study of plants. He then studied geology at the Freiberg Academy of Mines and got a job organizing the mining of gold, copper and minerals. In 1797, Humboldt decided he wanted to explore South America. He got permission from the Spanish government which ran most of Spain. He was able to explore South America using his own money because his mother died and left him a great fortune. He traveled with a French botanist named Aime Bonpland and they spent 5 years in South America. Alexander von Humboldt and Bonpland explored the flowers, plants, animals and land of South America. He mapped 1700 miles of the Orinoco River even though the heat and conditions were difficult. They kept journals and visited tribes and they climbed 18,000 feet but did not make it to the top of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador. At that time it was believed to be the tallest mountain. In Peru, he discovered a cold current that ran off the Peruvian currant. Humboldt and Bonpland traveled to Mexico and studied the people, plants and geography. He kept a journal on weather and made one of the first maps of Mexico which he shared with Thomas Jefferson. They became good friends with the President. Humboldt then left for Paris 1804 and lived there for the next 23 years. He wrote about all his discoveries and shared his findings with all the important scientists. In his last years, he wrote a work about magnetic fields which was a bestseller. Alexander von Humboldt died in 1859 and was 90 years old.
Bibliography http://www.humboldt.edu/german/Alex/ALEX1.HTM
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