The History Of The Smithsonian Institution And Its Founder, Has Truly

The history of the Smithsonian Institution and it's founder, has truly had an impact on what the elaborate, extensive, and complete Smithsonian Institution looks like today. The Smithsonian Institution began when James Smithson, an extremely intelligent scientist, was born in 1765. James Smithson was born in the South of France to Sir Hugh Smithson, the Duke of Northumberland, and to Elizabeth Hungerford Keate Macie. Smithson graduated from Oxford in the year 1786. After he graduated, he was accepted to the Royal Society of London group of scientists. Because he discovered the mineral zinc carbonate, it was named after him, Smithsonite. In his will, Smithson left all his money and property to his nephew Henry James Hungerford, who was born a illegitimate, like Smithson. Smithson wrote the following; "Should Hungerford die without leaving a family, I then bequeath the whole of my property... to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name Smithsonian Institution, and establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.1" Why Smithson left his money to America, a country he had never visited, remains a mystery. Two years after writing his will, Smithson died in Genoa, Italy, in the year 1835, without a wife or any children. Two years after that, Henry James Hungerford died without any family either. When news reached Washington DC about the news of Smithson's bequeath, Congress debated over eleven years on what to do with the money. One thing Congress agreed on, to get the money out of England as soon as possible. Richard Rush set sail for England to claim the money. Smithson's mother attempted to claim a lot of the money; she fought for two years. Finally, on May 9, 1838, the court awarded Smithson's mother 150 pounds per year2, and awarded America 100,000 pounds3. President John Quincy Adams committed himself to the making of the Smithsonian Institution. Unfortunately, by spring of 1846, all plans for the making of the Smithsonian Institution were rejected. The main reason the plans were rejected was because the war with Mexico was taking up most of the attention of Congress. In August 10, 1846, President James K. Polk signed a bill for the making of the Smithsonian Institution. A big castle-like structure was built by the White House and down the street from the Capital. Because the Smithsonian looked like a castle, it was later called the 'castle.' The Smithsonian was expected to house a great collection of specimens, and art gallery, a chemistry laboratory, and a scientific library. Also, all items of curious research, natural history, plants, geographical, and mineralogical specimens that belonged to America were to be kept in the Smithsonian. The secretary of the Smithsonian was the person that was in charge of the Smithsonian. The first appointed secretary of the Smithsonian was Joseph Henry. Congress selected Henry when they asked a lot of scientists for advice on what do with the Smithsonian, also, other scientists recommended him. When the building of the Castle was finished, Henry and his family moved into the East wing of the Smithsonian, and lived there. Henry's efforts formed the basis of the United States Weather Bureau. To add to the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, United States Exploring Expeditions were sent out between the years 1838 and 1848. In 1876, the Centennial exhibition closed, and sixty-six freight cars full items headed for the Smithsonian Institution. In 1846, Henry fulfilled his promise to 'diffuse knowledge among men' by beginning the International Exchange Service by publishing its first publication; Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley. The Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley became the first volume of the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge Series. When Henry died in 1878, at the age of 81, Congress made a $15,0004 bronze statue in his honor which stands close to the Castle. Spencer Fullerton Baird was the next appointed secretary. Baird established the Marine Biological Station at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Baird also initiated policies to protect America's wildlife. Baird supported the Bureau of American Ethnology, which later became known as the home of American anthropology. By the late nineteenth century, the Smithsonian had so many items that it had to get more employees to sort the items, but, unfortunately, Congress didn't really want to pay for more employees. To