Johann Reinhold Forster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johann Reinhold Forster
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| Born | 22 October 1729 Tczew (Dirschau), Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
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| Died | 9 December 1798 (aged 69) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Natural history, ethnology |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | J.R.Forst |
Johann Reinhold Forster (born October 22, 1729 – died December 9, 1798) was a German pastor and a naturalist. He was partly from Scotland. He studied birds (this is called ornithology) in Europe and North America. Forster is most famous for being the naturalist on James Cook's second trip around the Pacific Ocean. His son, Georg Forster, went with him on this amazing journey. These trips helped Forster's career. They also taught people a lot about different cultures and how humans interact with nature.
Contents
Early Life and Studies
Forster's family came from Scotland. His great-grandfather moved from Scotland after losing his property during the time of Oliver Cromwell. Johann Reinhold Forster was born in a city called Dirschau (Tczew) in Poland.
He studied languages and natural history in Berlin. Then he studied theology at the University of Halle. After his studies, he became a Protestant pastor in Mokry Dwór. He married his cousin, Elisabeth Nikolai. They had several children, including his son Georg Forster and a daughter named Virginia Viktoria.
Work in Russia and England
In 1765, the Russian government asked Forster to check on new settlements. These settlements were built along the Volga River. But Forster soon had disagreements with the Russian government.
The next year, he moved to England with his son Georg. Georg was the oldest of their eight children. In England, Forster became a natural history teacher in Warrington, Lancashire. He taught at the Warrington Academy for three years. After leaving this job, Forster and Georg moved to London. They worked on translations to earn money.
In 1771, Forster published a book called A Catalogue of the Animals of North America. This book listed many animals from the region. It included mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and crustaceans. Because of his work, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society of London in 1772.
Voyage with Captain Cook
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When another naturalist, Joseph Banks, decided not to go on Captain Cook's second voyage, Forster and his son were chosen instead. In July 1772, they sailed on the ship Resolution. They returned to England in July 1775. During a stop in Cape Town, Forster hired Anders Sparrman to help him.
Both Forsters kept detailed diaries of everything they saw. They also collected many natural history items and artifacts. After the trip, Forster published Characteres generum plantarum. This book was about the plants of the South Pacific. Georg used his father's journals to write his own book, A Voyage Round the World, in 1777. Reinhold Forster published Observations Made during a Voyage round the World in 1778.
Later Life and Legacy
In November 1779, Forster became a professor of Natural history and Mineralogy at the University of Halle. He also became the director of the Botanische Garten der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. He stayed there until he passed away.
Forster wrote a book called Descriptiones animalium. He finished it soon after returning from Cook's voyage. This book was later published in 1844. His writings for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society helped make him an important expert on North American animals. He wrote about zoology, ornithology, and ichthyology.
In 1793, Forster was chosen to be a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Animals Named in His Honor
Some animals have been named after Johann Reinhold Forster.
- The black-side hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) is a type of fish. It is also called the freckled hawkfish or Forster's hawkfish. This fish lives in the Indo-Pacific ocean.
- The forster's tern ('Sterna Forsteri') is a type of bird. It is mostly found in the Americas.
See also
In Spanish: Johann Reinhold Forster para niños
- European and American voyages of scientific exploration
Images for kids
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Johann Reinhold Forster
