Will Durant
1885 – 1981

Will Durant

American historian, philosopher and writer (1885–1981)

philosopherhistorianwriter
Born
1885-11-05, North Adams
Died
1981-11-07
Birthplace state
Massachusetts

Biography

William James Durant was a philosopher and historian born in North Adams, Massachusetts in 1885 and died in 1981. He authored The Story of Philosophy, published in 1926, and collaborated with his wife Ariel Durant on The Story of Civilization, an eleven-volume work issued between 1935 and 1975 that addressed the history of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Occupation

Will Durant is recorded as a philosopher, a historian and a writer, born in Massachusetts (1885–1981).

Connections to Massachusetts

Will Durant was born in North Adams, Massachusetts in 1885. Explore other notable figures from Massachusetts, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about North Adams

Will Durant came from North Adams. A full Aubrey report on North Adams pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Massachusetts

Other historical figures born in Massachusetts, ranked by historical prominence.

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president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
American writer and literary critic (1809–1849)
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 (1924-2018)
John Adams
John Adams
Founding Father, U.S. president from 1797 to 1801
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
President of the United States from 1825 to 1829
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
American philosopher (1803–1882)

Frequently asked about Will Durant

Who was Will Durant?
Will Durant was American historian, philosopher and writer (1885–1981), born in Massachusetts (1885 – 1981).
When and where was Will Durant born?
Will Durant was born on 1885-11-05 in North Adams.
When did Will Durant die?
Will died on 1981-11-07.
What was Will Durant known for?
Will Durant is recorded as a philosopher, a historian and a writer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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