adapted from Humboldt in the New World
by Anna Maria Gillis
Alexander von Humboldt, a Prussian naturalist, born in 1769, was the preeminent scientist of his day. Most known for his work in Latin America, he embarked on his first journey there in 1799. In a letter to a friend, he wrote, "I shall try to find out how the forces of nature interact upon one another and how the geographic environment influences plant and animal life. In other words, I must find out about the unity of nature."
Latin Americans and Europeans are more likely to know of Humboldt's legacy than people in the United States, where the names of places are the main reminders of the man considered by many to be the father of modern geography. During his five years in Latin America, Humboldt marked the course of rivers, measured mountains, recorded the vocabulary of indigenous languages, studied the artifacts of the Aztec and other civilizations, and collected economic data. He traversed vast llanos and paddled wild waterways in a forty-foot canoe crammed with twelve men, monkeys, a mastiff, and equipment that included chronometers, barometers, telescopes, thermometers, and more.
With its volcanoes, waterfalls, and crocodile-infested waters, the interior of South America provided plenty to marvel at and much to fear. Humboldt received a shock from an electric eel and nearly poisoned himself with curare, a plant-derived toxin. His friend had to save him from nearly drowning because Humboldt could not swim. When he was uncomfortably close to a jaguar, Humboldt noted, "There are moments in life when it is useless to call on reason." Although scared, he remembered to walk, not run, away.
Through his work, Humboldt challenged European notions about a continent that to some degree had been shaped by people who had never set foot in South America. He faced what one scholar called "a wall of ignorance in Europe and North America alike of the most basic realities of Spanish America, its peoples, and cities no less than its geology and geography, flora and fauna."
His Latin American writings broke down that wall by providing factual information. Just as important, Humboldt's methods of doing science influenced many significant U.S. ventures in the years to come. These include the Wilkes expedition to study the Pacific, Joseph Nicollet's mapping of the Upper Mississippi, and John Charles Freemont's explorations of the Rockies and California. Humboldt even influenced the noted naturalist John Muir, who joined the expedition to study Alaska in the late nineteenth century.
This article was first published in November/December 2012 issue of Humanities, which is published by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
7
Read the sentences from the passage.
"I shall try to find out how the forces of nature interact upon one another and how the geographic environment influences plant and animal life. In other words, I must find out about the unity of nature."
What do these sentences reveal about Humboldt?
A.
Humboldt was motivated by a desire to discover new areas for settlement.
B.
Humboldt believed that his trip would be a pivotal moment to bring people together.
C.
Humboldt wished to change geographic boundaries in order to promote biological diversity.
D.
Humboldt saw his expedition as a unique opportunity to learn more about the physical world.