Many people regarded nature and the world with their eyes only. However, some perceived the world through all their senses. They stopped and listened to what appeared before them, and then they experienced their surroundings. One person who looked beyond his first impression was Francis Parkman. Parkman's love for history and nature drove him to overcome his physical weaknesses. He pursued his passion with the diligence of a soldier and brought a different perspective to nineteenth century history. Francis Parkman traveled across North America and obtained firsthand experiences about nature, hardships, and the unknown. He developed his quest for knowledge...
studying environment in history.

Although Parkman's life consisted of many personal hardships, he overcame them to be considered a distinct historical scholar and a skillful, charming writer. Parkman's works had a great impact on nineteenth century history, specifically the history of the west. Other historians compared his work with his colleague's and concluded superiority in his contributions. After numerous expeditions, he obtained primary sources of history and researched distant archives to compile his historical writings. Parkman died in 1893 at the age of seventy. Parkman had many critics, but experts believe that only Henry Adams rivaled Parkman's historical style.