Franz Boas

Boas was born in the mid 1800s in northern Germany. He was raised in  Jewish family and studied physics until anthropological studies captured his interest. Boas joined an expedition to Canada, where he observed the culture of Inuits. Boas realized that these people were not uncivilized and primitive as was the popular opinion; rather, the Inuits had a sophisticated lifestyle which allowed them to thrive in the arctic. With this information, Boas formed his revolutionary idea that cultures were shaped by environmental influences, as opposed to evolutionary forces. Boas was also well-known for his more modern racial views. He argued that skin color simply came down to genetics and had no influence on intelligence or competence. As a native German, one of his greatest concerns was eugenics and the Nazi party beliefs on white supremacy. Overall, Boas promoted profound ideas regarding race, prejudice, and human culture.