FP
Francis Parkman
43quotes
Full Name and Common Aliases
Francis Parkman
aka Francis Parkman Jr.
Birth and Death Dates
September 16, 1823 - October 8, 1893
Nationality and Profession(s)
American Historian, Writer
Early Life and Background
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 16, 1823, Francis Parkman was the eldest of five children to Theophilus Parsons Parkman and Mary Gideon. His family was well-established, with his father serving as a prominent lawyer and politician. Despite suffering from poor health throughout his childhood, Parkman demonstrated an early affinity for reading and writing.
Parkman's education began at Boston Latin School before he matriculated at Harvard University in 1839. However, due to his fragile health, he spent two years abroad studying in France and Germany. The experience greatly broadened his perspective on history and culture.
Major Accomplishments
Francis Parkman is best known for his historical works focusing primarily on the French colonial period in North America. His magnum opus, "The Oregon Trail," explores the overland route from Independence to Fort Laramie. This work is often considered one of the most important accounts of its kind.
Parkman's writings also included "Vassall Morton: A Sketch" and "Pioneers of France in the New World." His contributions to American historical literature are unparalleled, with his work still studied today for its insightful portrayal of early American history.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to his written works, Parkman was a skilled artist. He documented various scenes from his travels, often incorporating them into his writing. His artwork provides valuable insight into the culture and landscapes he encountered during his explorations.
Parkman's interest in botany led him to contribute several articles on North American plants to the Journal of Botany.
Impact and Legacy
Francis Parkman's impact extends beyond his written works, as he played a significant role in shaping the way Americans perceived their history. His meticulous research and thorough documentation elevated historical writing standards during his time.
Parkman's passion for preserving America's early history inspired many to follow in his footsteps. He remains one of the most celebrated American historians, with numerous institutions recognizing his contributions to the field.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Francis Parkman is widely quoted and remembered due to his exceptional storytelling ability and meticulous research skills. His dedication to preserving America's early history continues to inspire readers today.
Quotes by Francis Parkman
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In one point the plan was fatally defective, since it involved the deadly enmity of a race whose character and whose power were as yet but ill understood, – the fiercest, boldest, most politic, and most ambitious savages to whom the American forest has ever given birth.
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We were now, as I before mentioned, upon this St. Joseph’s trail. It was evident, by the traces, that large parties were a few days in advance of us; and as we too supposed them to be Mormons, we had some apprehension of interruption.
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We were now arrived at the close of our solitary journeyings along the St. Joseph’s trail.
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It was a rich and gorgeous sunset – an American sunset; and the ruddy glow of the sky was reflected from some extensive pools of water among the shadowy copses in the meadow below.
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Spanish civilization crushed the Indian. English civilization scorned and neglected him. French civilization embraced and cherished him.
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Art, industry, and commerce, so long crushed and overborne, were stirring into renewed life, and a crowd of adventurous men, nurtured in war and incapable of repose, must seek employment for their restless energies in fields of peaceful enterprise.
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Faithfulness to the truth of history involves far more than a research, however patient and scrupulous, into special facts. Such facts may be detailed with the most minute exactness, and yet the narrative, taken as a whole, may be unmeaning or untrue. The narrator must seek to imbue himself with the life and spirit of the time. He must study events in their bearings near and remote; in the character, habits, and manners of those who took part in them. He must himself be, as it were, a sharer or a spectator of the action he describes.
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America was still a land of wonder. The ancient spell still hung unbroken over the wild, vast world of mystery beyond the sea,-a land of romance, adventure, and gold.
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If any pale student, glued to his desk, here seek an apology for a way of life whose natural fruits is that pallid and emasculate scholarship of which New England has had too many examples, it will be far better that this sketch had not been written. For the student there is, in its season, no better place than the saddle, and no better companion than the rifle or the oar.
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France built its best colony on a principle of exclusion, and failed; England reversed the system, and succeeded.
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