Hiram Bingham III American explorer and political activist Date of Birth: 19.01.1875 Country: USA

1. Hiram Bingham III: American Explorer and Politician
2. Discovery of Machu Picchu
3. Later Life and Political Career
4. Legacy and Death

Hiram Bingham III: American Explorer and Politician

Hiram Bingham III was an American explorer and politician who became famous for his discovery of the lost Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a family of Protestant missionaries. As a teenager, Hiram moved to the United States to continue his education. He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1894, Yale University in 1898, the University of California, Berkeley in 1900, and obtained a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1905. Hiram taught politics and history at Harvard for some time.

Discovery of Machu Picchu

While working as a professor, Hiram made his groundbreaking discovery while attending a scientific congress in Santiago, Chile in 1908. He learned about the presence of ancient ruins near a small town in Peru from a government official. Hiram later published a report on his journey to this city in the United States. The stories of the lost indigenous cities in Central and South America fascinated him, and in 1911, he returned to the Andes as part of a new expedition. On July 24, 1911, the expedition discovered the city of Machu Picchu. Hiram's efforts brought attention to the site, making Machu Picchu one of the main tourist attractions in Peru and South America as a whole. Although he had several assistants and colleagues, Hiram received the lion's share of credit for the discovery.

Later Life and Political Career

After his archaeological endeavors, Hiram joined the military. By 1916, he held the rank of captain in the Connecticut National Guard, and in 1917, he became a pilot and established military aviation departments at eight American universities. Hiram continued to collaborate with American aviation groups after the war. In 1922, he was elected as the Vice Governor of Connecticut and served until 1924 when he was elected as the Governor. He then served one day as the Governor before being elected to the Senate. During his first term in the Senate, Hiram was appointed to the President's Aircraft Board and earned the nickname "The Flying Senator." He was reelected in 1926 but was not successful in the 1932 election and left the Senate. During World War II, Hiram taught at the training institutions of the American fleet. After the war, he returned to politics.

Legacy and Death

Hiram Bingham III passed away on June 6, 1956, at his home in Washington, D.C.