Joaquín Acosta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joaquín Acosta
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| Born | 29 December 1800 |
| Died | 21 February 1852 (aged 51) Guaduas, Cundinamarca,
Republic of New Granada |
| Nationality | Neogranadine |
| Children | Soledad Acosta de Samper (daughter) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geologist |
Tomás Joaquín de Acosta y Pérez de Guzmán (born December 29, 1800 – died February 21, 1852) was an important figure from Colombia, South America. He was an explorer, a historian who studied the past, a chorographer (someone who describes regions), and a geologist (someone who studies the Earth's rocks and land).
Acosta was born in Colombia. He served in the Colombian army. In 1834, he tried to map and study the land between a town called Socorro and the Magdalena River. This was a scientific survey to learn more about the area.
Seven years later, he explored the western part of Colombia. He traveled from Antioquia to Anserma. During this trip, he studied the shape of the land, its natural plants and animals, and signs left by the native groups who lived there long ago.
Studying History in Spain
In 1845, Joaquín Acosta traveled to Spain. He went there to look at old documents about Colombia and its history as a colony. Three years later, in 1848, he published a major work called Compendio. This book was about how New Granada (which is now Colombia) was discovered and settled by Europeans.
The map that came with his book was very good for its time, even though it's now old. His book is still valuable today because it has many references to other books and notes about important people. He wrote about the writings of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who was a conqueror of New Granada. While some of his notes on Quesada were incomplete, Acosta's biographies of historical figures are still helpful for students learning about Spanish-American history.
One year after Compendio, another work called Semenario was published in Paris. This book included important papers about plants written by Francisco José de Caldas, another famous Colombian scientist.
His Family Life
Joaquín Acosta's parents were Josef Acosta and Soledad Pérez de Guzman. He married Caroline Kemble Rowe.
His daughter, Soledad Acosta de Samper, was born on May 5, 1833. She grew up to become a well-known historian and writer, just like her father. She married José María Samper, who was a Colombian lawyer, writer, and politician.
See Also
- Joaquín Acosta for kids (in Spanish)
