Essay, Biography or Paragraph on “Joseph Priestly” complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Joseph Priestly

England : Inventor of Oxygen

Born : AD 1733                    Died : AD 1804

The world today spends millions and trillions of rupees on aerated drinks like Coca-Cola. Did Joseph Priestly know that by mixing carbon-dioxide in water he would be giving the world a new business and that a transaction in millions would ensue? He was awarded a gold medal for this invention. But, the discovery of Soda-water is not Priestly’s only contribution to science. He is particularly known in the field for the discovery of life-giving gas, oxygen.

Priestly was born in England in a village near Leeds on 13 March 1733. His father was a poor weaver. Orphaned when just seven, Joseph was brought by his aunt. For sustenance he worked in a small Church just on very meagre salary. But, since this was not enough, he took tuition’s and wrote books to earn whatever he could. He, however, continued his study of languages and chemistry. During Benjamin Franklin’s visit to England, Priestly met him and the two developed a life-long friendship. Franklin was an American and was in England for mustering public opinion for the independence of American colonies. Influenced by Franklin, Priestly wrote a book The History of the Present Condition of Electricity.

Priestly was anti-Church. He held the view that religion and politics should have clearly demarcated boundaries which should not be over-lapping. His views were hotly debated and opposed in the House of Commons. Excited by his unconventional ideas an angry mob set his house on fire on 14 July 1781, and his works of the past twenty years in the field of science were burnt down to ashes in a couple of minutes.

Priestly and his family, however, escaped the catastrophe as they were not at home then.