Richard Francis Burton

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/richard-francis-burton

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Richard Francis Burton born?March 19, 1821
2. Where was Richard Francis Burton born?Torquay, Devon, England
3. What is the full title?Sir Richard Francis Burton, KCMG, FRGS
4. What is the career trajectory?Bombay Army officer, explorer, diplomat (consul), writer, scholar
5. What languages did Richard Francis Burton speak?He learned 29 languages and dialects, showing his amazing talent for languages.
6. Why was he called a super-spy explorer?He used disguises and local customs to learn about cultures, acting like a spy to gather knowledge.

Polymath: A person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.
Ethnography: The scientific study of the peoples and cultures of human societies.
Victorian Prudery: The strict and often excessive sense of modesty and moral behavior prevalent in Victorian society.
Royal Geographical Society (RGS): A UK-based charity that promotes geographical learning and exploration.