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Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

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Domingo Faustino Sarmiento was a famous writer and leader from Argentina.

Casa Natal de Domingo Faustino Sarmiento en San Juan Argentina (EagLau--2008)
Casa Natal de Domingo Faustino Sarmiento en San Juan Argentina (EagLau--2008)

He was born on February 15, 1811, in a suburb called Carrascal. His family did not have much money, but they were very active in politics. His father, José Clemente Quiroga Sarmiento, was a soldier who fought in wars for independence. His mother, Paula Zoila de Albarracín, worked hard by selling her weaving to build a home. Sarmiento was the only son in a large family to live into adulthood. His parents helped him love his country and value learning from a very young age.

As he grew up, Sarmiento learned a lot about ideas and teaching.

Sarmiento (1873)
Sarmiento (1873)

He started primary school in 1816 and was a very good student. He even earned the title of First Citizen at his school. Later, he wanted to study more in the city of Buenos Aires. However, a scholarship program used a lottery to pick students. Sadly, his name was not drawn, so he could not go at that time. He spent time reading the Bible and helping his uncle with church services. These early years helped him develop strong skills in speaking and writing.

Argentina went through many hard times called civil wars during his life.

Retrato de Sarmiento - Benjamín Franklin Rawson
Retrato de Sarmiento - Benjamín Franklin Rawson

Two main groups fought for control of the country. One group was the Unitarians, which included Sarmiento. They wanted a strong central government and more European-style ideas. The other group was the Federalists, who wanted more power for local provinces. Because of these fights, Sarmiento had to leave his home many times. This was called exile, which means living in a different country for safety. He spent much of this time living in Chile.

While he was in exile, Sarmiento became a very important writer.

Ignacio Baz - Domingo F. Sarmiento - Google Art Project
Ignacio Baz - Domingo F. Sarmiento - Google Art Project

He worked for newspapers and even founded his own school for girls. In 1845, he began publishing his most famous book, called Facundo. This book looked at the different ways people lived in Argentina. He also traveled to many places like the United States and Europe. He did this to study how other countries ran their schools. He wanted to bring those good ideas back to his own home.

Sarmiento eventually became the President of Argentina from 1868 to 1874.

Sarmiento courret 1864
Sarmiento courret 1864

He used his power to make big changes for the people. He helped build new train systems and a better postal system for mail. He also worked very hard to create a great system of schools. He believed that education was important for both children and women. He died in Asunción, Paraguay, in 1888 at the age of 77. Today, people still respect him as a great thinker and a builder of his nation.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Seal of the Argentine Army.svg
Seal of the Argentine Army.svg
File:General de División del Ejército Argentino.png
General de División del Ejército Argentino.png
File:Casa_Natal_de_Domingo_Faustino_Sarmiento_en_San_Juan_Argentina_(EagLau--2008).jpg
Casa_Natal_de_Domingo_Faustino_Sarmiento_e...
File:Retrato de Sarmiento - Benjamín Franklin Rawson.jpg
Retrato de Sarmiento - Benjamín Franklin...
File:Ignacio Baz - Domingo F. Sarmiento - Google Art Project.jpg
Ignacio Baz - Domingo F. Sarmiento -...
File:Domingo Faustino Sarmiento militar.jpg
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento militar.jpg
File:SarmientoBoston.jpg
SarmientoBoston.jpg
File:USA-Domingo Faustino Sarmiento.jpg
USA-Domingo Faustino Sarmiento.jpg
File:Sarmiento courret 1864.jpg
Sarmiento courret 1864.jpg
File:Sarmiento (1873).jpg
Sarmiento (1873).jpg
File:Sarmiento statue inaug 1900.jpg
Sarmiento statue inaug 1900.jpg
File:Domingo Sarmiento Rodin Palermo II.jpg
Domingo Sarmiento Rodin Palermo II.jpg

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