Sophie germain biography

View eleven larger pictures. Marie-Madeleine Germain married the notary Charles Lherbette - in and they had one son Amand-Jacques Lherbette - who became a lawyer, sportsman and politician. We have given some details of Sophie's sisters because she did not marry and, as a consequence, her sisters and their families played a large part in her life.

Sophie's home at rue St Denis, where she was born, was a meeting place for those interested in liberal reforms and she was exposed to political and philosophical discussions during her early years. The year saw the outbreak of the French Revolution when in May of that year France became a constitutional monarchy followed by the storming of the Bastille on 14 July.

What did sophie germain discover

Sophie's father was elected a deputy of the Third Estate for the city of Paris, then the National Assembly, and became very involved in the political events. Sophie was thirteen years old at this time and up until then she had been educated at home. With Paris in chaos and normal life suspended, she decided that she would go to her father's library, which was extensive, and pass the time reading books.

She read Montucla 's account of Archimedes ' passion for mathematics:- [ Archimedes ] would forget to eat and drink. His servant would have to remember his meal times for him and would almost have to force him to satisfy these human needs. She read about Archimedes ' death at the hands of a Roman soldier because he would not stop doing mathematics.