Jean-Jacques Ampère facts for kids
Jean-Jacques Ampère was a French writer and scholar who studied languages and literature. He was born on August 12, 1800, and passed away on March 27, 1864. He was the only son of the famous physicist André-Marie Ampère.
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Early Life and Family
Jean-Jacques was born in Lyon, France. His father, André-Marie Ampère, was a well-known scientist. Sadly, Jean-Jacques' mother died when he was very young. He was later buried in the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.
Travels and Studies
Jean-Jacques loved to travel and learn about different cultures. He went on a long trip through northern Europe. During this journey, he studied the folk songs and popular poems from countries like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
When he returned to France in 1830, he shared his knowledge. He gave talks in Marseille about Scandinavian and early German poetry. His first book, De l'Histoire de la poésie (1830), was very important. It was one of the first times French people learned about these old stories and poems from northern Europe.
A Career in Education
Later, Jean-Jacques moved to Paris. He became a teacher at the Sorbonne, which is a famous university. He also became a professor at the Collège de France, where he taught about the history of French literature.
He continued his travels, visiting northern Africa in 1841. After that, he explored Greece and Italy with his friends, including the writer Prosper Mérimée. His travels inspired his book Voyage dantesque, which was part of Grèce, Rome et Dante (1848). This book helped many people in France become interested in the works of the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Later Life and Main Work
In 1848, Jean-Jacques Ampère became a member of the Académie française. This is a very important group in France that looks after the French language. In 1851, he visited America.
For the rest of his life, he worked on his most important project. This was a four-volume book called L'Histoire romaine à Rome (1861–1864), which was about Roman history. He continued working on it until he passed away in Pau.
Legacy
You can find out more about Jean-Jacques Ampère and his father at the Ampère Museum. This museum is located near Lyon, France, and has many documents about their lives and work.
