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Joseph Priestley ( March 13, 1733 - February 6, 1804) was an English chemist, dissenting clergyman, and educator.
He was born in Birstall parish, six miles from Leeds, Yorkshire. He learned a variety of languages, both classical and modern, in his youth, including several Semitic languages; he also studied what was then called "natural history".
In 1751 he entered Daventry, a school under Nonconformist auspices, and there his religious views took shape. He became an adherent of Arianism. In SeptemberSeptember is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 30 days. The name comes from the Latin septem for " seven" September was originally the seventh month of the year, before January and February were inserted. In Greek civilization, S, 1755Events January 25 Moscow University established. July 9 French and Indian War: Braddock Expedition British troops and colonial militiamen are ambushed and suffer a devastating defeat inflicted by French and Indian forces. During the battle, British Genera, he started as a parish minister in Needham Market, Suffolk - though he was not officially ordained until May 18May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). There are 227 days remaining. Events 1593 Playwright Thomas Kyd's accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. 1652 Rhode Island passes the fi, 1762Events Neolin begins to preach. January 4 Britain declares war on Spain & Naples July 17 Catherine II becomes empress of Russia upon the murder of Peter III of Russia. Empress Go-Sakuramachi ascends to the throne of Japan British East India Company seizes. Because he stammered and the parish was not suited to his heterodox ideas, nor did they want a bachelor for their minister. He was unpopular in his Suffolk parish and he ultimately went to Nantwich, CheshireThis article is about the English county. For other uses see Cheshire (disambiguation Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester is a palatine county in North West England. Its county town is the city of Chester. It borders the ceremonial counties of. He established a private school in connection with the church in Nantwich where he preached, and derived his income from that school.
Subsequently he went to WarringtonAlternate uses: see Warrington (disambiguation). Warrington is a town and borough in North West England. It was traditionally in Lancashire, but was moved to Cheshire in 1974. Since April 1, 1998 it has been an independent unitary authority and administra, the biggest of the dissenting academies in England, as a tutor in belles-lettres. By this time his religious ideas had matured to SocinianismSocinianism summarises the beliefs of the Socinians, followers of Laelius Socinus (died 1562 in Zurich) and of his nephew Faustus Socinus (died 1604 in Poland). The Socinians congregated especially in the Transylvania, in Poland (see Polish brethren) and, a form of Unitarianism. At Warrington, he associated with other liberal-minded tutors and found an intelligent printer, William Eyres, willing to publish his work. It was here that he published his grammar book in 1761 (a remarkably liberal grammar for its day) and other books on history and educational theory. He taught anatomy and astronomy and led field trips for his students to collect fossils and botanical specimens. Both modern history and the sciences were subjects which had not been taught in any schools before Priestley.
