Lewis Henry Morgan (1818-1881) was an American anthropologist and lawyer, widely acclaimed as one of the founding figures of modern anthropology. He made significant contributions to the study of kinship systems, social organization, and cultural evolution.
Morgan's approach to anthropology was heavily influenced by his observations of Native American societies, particularly the Iroquois. His seminal work, "Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family" (1871), revolutionized the field by presenting a detailed analysis of kinship systems across different cultures. In this influential study, he developed the concept of "kinship terminology" to describe the diverse ways in which societies classify and name their relatives, providing crucial insights into social structures and relationships.
Morgan is also known for his groundbreaking work on social organization. In his book "Ancient Society" (1877), he proposed a theory of cultural evolution, outlining a progression from simple hunter-gatherer societies to more complex and stratified hierarchical civilizations. Morgan coined the term "ethnical period" to describe distinct stages of societal development, emphasizing how technological advancements and changes in family structure shaped the evolution of societies.
Furthermore, Morgan played a pivotal role in the establishment of anthropology as a discipline, co-founding the American Association for the Advancement of Science and serving as president of the American Ethnological Society. His extensive fieldwork, meticulous data collection, and theoretical insights laid the groundwork for future anthropologists, playing a crucial role in the development of modern social sciences.
