A Biography of Issac Newton

Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientists of all time. He is best known for his discovery of the law of universal gravitation and the laws of motion. Much of modern science is based on the understanding and use of his laws.

Isaac Newton was born on Christmas Day, 1642, in the small English town of Woolsthorpe. His father died shortly before Isaac was born. When he was three years old, his mother remarried and moved to another town. Isaac stayed on at the farm in Woolsthorpe with his grandmother. After attending small country school, he was sent at the age of twelve to the Kings School in the near by town of Grantham.

At first Isaac was a poor student. He cared little for schoolwork, preferring to paint, make kites, write in notebooks, or invent toys. He made no friends. Silent and dreamy, he was at the bottom of his class.

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English: Gravitational field determined using Newt...

Colorized engraving after Enoch Seeman's 1726 port...

Oddly, it was a savage kick by a school bully that caused Newton's great mind to awaken. The mild, dreamy boy flew into a rage and beat the other boy thoroughly. Isaac determined to beat the bully in schoolwork as well. Soon Isaac was at the head of his class.

In 1656 Newton's stepfather died. His mother returned to Woolsthorpe to take care of the farm left by Newton's father, but she could not manage the farm by herself. Isaac was taken out of school and brought home to help her. As a farmer, Newton proved to be a dismal failure. He neglected the necessary chores and thought only of books to study and mechanical things to make.

One day while he was leading a horse, the animal slipped its bridle and ran away. Isaac continued walking home with the empty bridle, unaware that the...