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Humboldt in the United States, 1804
Alexander von Humboldt spent six weeks in the United States, from May 23 to July 7, 1804. His interest in the relatively new country reflected his desire to see its democratic style of government flourish, to extend his South American explorations into the newly acquired Louisiana territory, and to harness North American data in his emerging picture of the world's ecosystems. When he landed in Philadelphia, Humboldt met leading scientists, who were members of the American Philosophical Society (APS). After spending a week among his peers, Humboldt and his traveling companions---French botanist Aimé Bonpland and Ecuadorian nobleman Carlos Montúfar -- traveled to Washington, D.C., with artist and APS member Charles Willson Peale to meet President Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson was eager to meet Humboldt. One reason was their shared commitment to American democracy; the other was a map that Humboldt had drawn while he was in Mexico the previous year. It contained detailed information about the interior of North America, territory that had just become part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase. Humboldt shared this map with Jefferson, strengthening the president's hand in negotiations with the king of Spain over the new boundary between Mexico and the United States. This gesture of generosity endeared Humboldt to Jefferson and launched friendships with American statesmen, artists, authors, and naturalists that tied the United States close to Humboldt for the next fifty years. |