William Morris Davis

William Morris Davis

William Morris Davis (February 12 1850 - February 5 1934) was an American geographer, geologist, and meteorologist, often called the "father of American geography".

He was born into a Quaker family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Edward M. Davis and Maria Mott Davis (a daughter of the women's advocate Lucretia Mott). He graduated from Harvard University in 1869 and received a Master of Engineering in the following year.

He then worked in Córdoba, Argentina for three years, then after working as an assistant to Nathaniel Shaler, he became an instructor in geology at Harvard, in 1879. (Davis never completed his PhD.) He married Ellen B. Warner of Springfield, Massachusetts in the same year.

His most influential scientific contribution was the cycle of erosion, first defined around 1884, which was a model of how rivers create landforms. Though the cycle is considered overly simplistic today, it was a crucial early contribution to geomorphology.

It suggests that (larger) rivers have three main sections: upper course, middle course, and lower course - each of which has distinct landforms and other properties associated with it.

He was a founder of the Association of American Geographers in 1904, and heavily involved with the National Geographic Society in its early years, writing a number of articles for the magazine.

Davis retired from Harvard in 1911. After his first wife died, Davis married Mary M. Wyman of Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1914, and, after her death, he married Lucy L. Tennant of Milton, Massachusetts in 1928, who survived him.

He died in Pasadena, California, shortly before his 84th birthday.

Books

* "Geographical Essays" (Boston: Ginn, 1909)

Articles

* "Geographic methods in geologic investigations", "National Geographic Magazine" 1: pp. 11-26 (1888)
* "The Rivers and Valleys of Pennsylvania", "National Geographic Magazine" 1: pp. 183-253 (1889)
* "The geographical cycle", "Geographical Journal", vol. 14, pp. 481-504 (1899)
* "The Physical Geography of the Lands", "Popular Science Monthly" 2: pp. 157-170 (1900)

References

* Richard Chorley, R. P. Beckinsale, and A. J. Dunn, "The History of the Study of Landforms", Vol 2, "The Life and Work of William Morris Davis" (Methuen, 1973)

External links

* [http://wwwstage.valpo.edu/geomet/histphil/test/davis.html William Morris Davis: No Erosion of Impact]
* [http://www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~sgp/gw/wmd/wmdfig.html Stages in the fluvial cycle of erosion (illus.)]
*


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • William Morris Davis — (12 de febrero de 1850 5 de febrero de 1934) fue un geógrafo estadounidense, a menudo llamado el padre de la geografía americana no solo por su trabajo y esfuerzos tendientes a establecer la geografía como disciplina académica sino también por… …   Wikipedia Español

  • William Morris Davis — (* 12. Februar 1850 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; † 5. Februar 1934 in Pasadena, Kalifornien) war ein US amerikanischer Naturwissenschaftler. Während seiner akademischen Karriere leistete er Bedeutendes auf den Gebieten der Geographie, Geologie… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William Morris Davis — (Philadelphie1850 Pasadena1934) est un géographe américain. Il est souvent considéré comme le « père de la géographie américaine » et connu également comme le père de la géomorphologie[1],[2]. Il est surtout célèbre pour sa théorie du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • William Morris Davis (congressman) — William Morris Davis (August 16, 1815 ndash;August 5, 1891) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Early lifeWilliam Morris Davis was born in Keene Valley, New York. He moved to Pennsylvania and became a… …   Wikipedia

  • William M. Davis — may refer to:* William Maurice Davis (c.1978 ndash;2004), drug dealer, bookie and gangland murder victim * William Morris Davis (1850 ndash;1934), American geographer, geologist and meteorologist * William Morris Davis (congressman) (1815… …   Wikipedia

  • William Morris (desambiguación) — William Morris puede referise a: William Morris, escritor, diseñador, y activista político británico. William C. Morris, pedagogo y pastor metodista evangélico británico. William Morris Davis, geógrafo estadounidense. William C. Morris, ciudad… …   Wikipedia Español

  • William M. Davis House — Infobox nrhp | name =William Morris Davis House nrhp type = nhl caption = location= 17 Francis Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts lat degrees = 42 lat minutes = 22 lat seconds = 52 lat direction = N long degrees = 71 long minutes = 6 long seconds …   Wikipedia

  • William B. Davis — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Davis. William B. Davis …   Wikipédia en Français

  • William Morris Agency — ist der Name einer US amerikanischen Künstleragentur, die Künstler aus allen Teilen der Unterhaltungsindustrie (u. a. Film, Fernsehen, Musik, Literatur, Bühne) vertritt. Das Unternehmen ist nach eigener Auskunft das größte und am stärksten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Morris Davis — This article is about the United States Air Force officer and lawyer. For the Canadian composer, see Morris Davis (composer). Colonel Morris Davis Colonel Morris D. Davis (born July 31, 1958) is a United States Air Force officer and lawyer, was… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”