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Humboldt’s Travel between New Spain and the United States
Mar
31
4:00 PM16:00
Talks, Lectures

Humboldt’s Travel between New Spain and the United States




University at North Texas in Dallas, Consulate General of Germany and Consulado General de España in Houston

March 31, 2022 

Zoom Webinar 4:00p.m. ~ 5:00p.m.  (CST)

https://bit.ly/UNTDallasHumboldtsTravelWebinarLink 


 After his 5-year voyage through Spanish America, Alexander von Humboldt arrived in Philadelphia in May 1804 and shortly afterwards met with president Jefferson in the new capital of Washington. The lecture focuses on this important encounter, only shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, when Jefferson was seeking reliable information on the newly acquired land, which formerly had belonged to the Spanish Empire. Humboldt had spent one year in the Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, an area that today comprises the U.S. Southwest, with access to the most important colonial archives. Jefferson was thus intrigued about this visit and had specific question for the European guest. 

Dr. Rebok will discuss Humboldt´s work on New Spain Tablas geografico-politicas de la Nueva España and shed light on some much-debated questions concerning the information he provided, his motivation and the usefulness of this knowledge for the expanding United States. 

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Nov
11
7:00 PM19:00
Talks

Humboldt and Jefferson: Transatlantic exchange of knowledge and ideas

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany / International Center for Jefferson Studies

Virtual event:

 https://www.monticello.org/research-education/for-scholars/international-center-for-jefferson-studies/talks-lectures-symposia-conferences/humboldt-and-jefferson-transatlantic-exchange-of-knowledge-and-ideas/

Meeting President Jefferson in Washington was certainly a highlight for the Prussian explorer Alexander von Humboldt during his visit to the United States in spring of 1804. The personal encounter of both enlightened minds, and the knowledge and ideas they exchanged, has raised much interests on both sides of the Atlantic. However, some doubts still persist concerning Humboldt´s reasons for this visit, the nature of the information he facilitated Jefferson, the reasons for this generosity, and how useful it was for president´s strategic pursuits at this time. 

Dr. Rebok will address these questions, based on latest research results, and discuss the significance of Humboldt and Jefferson for the sciences and the transatlantic relationship in our times.

 

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