Francisco José de Caldas

Francisco José de Caldas (also known as "El Sabio Caldas" "Wise Caldas") (1768 in Popayán, Colombia – 1816) was a Colombian naturalist and geographer.

Biography

Early life

Caldas began his studies in the city of Popayán in the Seminary of Popayán. He later studied in the Colegio del Rosario graduating in Law but was also passionate for mathematics, astronomy and natural sciences.

Expeditionary

Caldas was part of numerous scientific expeditions including the ones with José Celestino Mutis and Alexander von Humboldt. He travelled across the New Kingdom of Granada exploring the newfound land, studying flora, fauna, geography, meteorology and cartography. In 1805 Caldas was appointed by Mutis to direct the Astronomic Observatory.

Death

Caldas was captured by the Spanish royalists in 1816 and executed in the San Francisco Plaza by orders of Pablo Morillo, Count of Cartagena. When Caldas was about to be executed and the people present at the place appealed for the life of the scientist, Morillo responded: "Spain does not need wise people" (Spanish: "España no necesita sabios"). [Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas, [http://www.udistrital.edu.co/colombia/proceres/caldas.php Francisco José de Caldas (1771 - 1816)] , retrieved on May 1, 2007] Before dying Caldas wrote on the wall a large Greek letter θ, which has been interpreted as exclaiming "Oh long and dark departure!" (Spanish: "Oh negra y larga partida!").fact|date=May 2007

His body was interred in Veracruz Church, which was later turned into the "Panteón Nacional" (National Pantheon) but later moved to the Panteón de los Próceres in his hometown, Popayan.

Legacy

Caldas help fund the New Kingdom of Granada Seminary intended to be a scientific institution during the first decade of the 1800s. In 1810 founded the "Diario Político de Santa Fe" Political Diary of Santa Fe which ultimately defended the independentist movement. During this time Caldas became engineer's colonel designing an artillery aparatus for the revolutionaries.

Books

* "El estado de la geografía del virreinato con relación a la economía y al comercio" (1807)
* "El influjo del clima sobre los seres organizados" (1808)
* "La Memoria sobre la Nivelación de las Plantas del Ecuador, Historia de Nuestra Revolución, Educación de Menores, Importancia del Cultivo de la Cochinilla y Chinchografía y Geografía de los Arboles de Quina".

References

Appel, John Wilton. "Francisco José de Caldas: A scientist at work in Nueva Granada". Philadelphi: American Philosophical Society, 1994.

External links

* [http://www.colombialink.com/01_INDEX/index_historia/proceres/caldas.html colombialink.com article on Francisco Jose de Caldas]