David Livingstone was a Christian missionary and one of the greatest explorers of Africa. He was born in a very poor Scottish family in 1813 and began work in a cotton mill when he was 10. He started saving money and was trained to be a doctor. He began his missionary work in South Africa in 1941. Some years later his wife joined him. He thought that to stop slave trade, Africa needed to be open to trade. So he started to search for new trade routes.
His first great expedition started in 1853. He crossed Africa on foot from east to west. When he came back to Britain in 1856, he was hailed as a hero. Unfortunately his second expedition on the Zambezi River was a disaster, and his wife and many other people died.
His third expedition in 1866 was aimed to find the source of the Nile. He disappeared for five years and everybody thought that he was dead. He was found in 1871 in a small African town in Tanzania. Though he was seriously ill, he refused to leave Africa until his mission - to explore rivers - was complete.
Livingstone died in 1873 from malaria and internal bleeding in a small African village in present-day Zambia. His heart was buried there under a tree near the place where he died. It is Livingstone Memorial now. His body was taken to Britain and he was buried in the Westminster Abbey in London.
Livingstone's legacy is great. He made many geographical discoveries. He was against slave trade. He was the first to speak of the necessity of education and health care for Africans. Livingstone was highly respected by tribe chiefs and local people in Africa.
His first great expedition started in 1853. He crossed Africa on foot from east to west. When he came back to Britain in 1856, he was hailed as a hero. Unfortunately his second expedition on the Zambezi River was a disaster, and his wife and many other people died.
His third expedition in 1866 was aimed to find the source of the Nile. He disappeared for five years and everybody thought that he was dead. He was found in 1871 in a small African town in Tanzania. Though he was seriously ill, he refused to leave Africa until his mission - to explore rivers - was complete.
Livingstone died in 1873 from malaria and internal bleeding in a small African village in present-day Zambia. His heart was buried there under a tree near the place where he died. It is Livingstone Memorial now. His body was taken to Britain and he was buried in the Westminster Abbey in London.
Livingstone's legacy is great. He made many geographical discoveries. He was against slave trade. He was the first to speak of the necessity of education and health care for Africans. Livingstone was highly respected by tribe chiefs and local people in Africa.