William H. Prescott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Hickling Prescott
|
|
|---|---|
Prescott c. 1850–1859
|
|
| Born | May 4, 1796 |
| Died | January 28, 1859 (aged 62) |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Historian |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Amory |
| Signature | |
 |
|
William Hickling Prescott (born May 4, 1796 – died January 29, 1859) was an American historian. He was very interested in Spain and its large Spanish Empire. Many people see him as one of the first great American historians.
When Prescott was 16, he had an accident that made him almost blind. A boy threw a piece of bread, which hit his eye. Because of his poor eyesight, he could not do a normal job. Instead, he focused on studying and writing history.
Prescott's grandfather, William Prescott, was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War. William H. Prescott grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, a city on the east coast of the United States. He went to Harvard University when he was 15. After finishing his degree, he studied many different subjects. He then decided to focus on the history of Spain. He wrote several popular books about Spanish history. His work greatly changed how people studied the history of Spain.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William H. Prescott was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on May 4, 1796. He was the oldest of seven children. Sadly, four of his younger brothers and sisters died when they were very young. His parents were William Prescott, Jr., who was a lawyer, and Catherine Greene Hickling. His grandfather, William Prescott, was a colonel during the American Revolutionary War.
Prescott started school when he was seven years old. In 1808, his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Prescott began studying at Harvard University in 1811, at the age of 15. He was very good at Latin and Greek. However, he found mathematics quite difficult. He graduated from Harvard in 1814.
Travels and Studies
After graduating, Prescott traveled to São Miguel in the Azores. His grandfather and Portuguese grandmother lived there. After two weeks, he went to London. There, he stayed with famous doctors who specialized in eyes. Prescott found it hard to write because he could not see well. One doctor gave him a special device called a noctograph to help him write.
He visited Hampton Court Palace with John Quincy Adams. Adams was a diplomat in London and later became President of the United States. In 1816, Prescott traveled through France and Italy. In Paris, he met George Ticknor, an American academic. Ticknor became a very close friend. Prescott returned to America in December 1816. For the next four years, he studied Italian and Spanish literature. On May 4, 1820, he married Susan Amory.
Writing Career
In the 1820s, Prescott wrote two essays for the North American Review. This was an American academic magazine. Both essays were about Italian poetry. However, his friend George Ticknor, a professor of Spanish studies at Harvard, made Prescott interested in Spanish history.
Books on Spanish History
In January 1826, Prescott decided to write a book about Ferdinand and Isabella. They were the King and Queen of Spain in the early 1500s. He spent time gathering information and sources. Prescott began writing The History of Ferdinand and Isabella in October 1829. He finished it by July 1836. The book was published on Christmas Day, 1837, in Boston. It sold very well and was also published in London in 1838. Prescott later made a shorter version of the book. For this work, he received three special honorary doctorates. These came from Columbia University, College of William and Mary, and South Carolina College.
Prescott wrote three more important books about the Spanish Empire.
- The first was The History of the Conquest of Mexico. He wrote it between 1838 and 1842, and it was published in 1843. This book is considered one of the most important works on ancient Mesoamerica. It was so popular that the United States Secretary of the Navy, John Y. Mason, put a copy in the library of every fighting ship. Even today, it is Prescott's most famous and popular book.
- Next came The Conquest of Peru. He wrote this between 1843 and 1847. It was published in March 1847 and was also very successful.
- Prescott's last book was The History of the Reign of Phillip II. He started it in 1842 but never finished it. He stopped working on it in 1858 after having a stroke. This last book is not thought to be as good as his other works.
Images for kids
-
A bronze statue of Prescott's grandfather William Prescott in Charlestown, Massachusetts
-
Prescott lived on Beacon Street, Boston, 1845–1859.
-
Depiction of Greenough's bust of Prescott in the June 1850 edition of Harper's new monthly magazine
-
Daguerreotype portrait of Prescott by M.B. Brady, c. 1848–1850
See also
In Spanish: William H. Prescott para niños
