Micah Palm
Prof. Groth
10/13/15
A Man Of All Trades Jean Jacques Rousseau was born in a the small, but friendly country of Switzerland. Rousseau was born on June 28th, 1712 in the widely known town of Geneva, Switzerland. Although Rousseau did not stay long, having begun an apprenticeship at the early age of thirteen. By the age of sixteen young Rousseau was already on his way to France, where he would begin his journey as the famous philosopher, composer, educationalist, and writer. Rousseau’s importance to France knows no bounds for without him, France might have never had the Enlightenment Era. Being born in Switzerland seemed to have a lasting effect on Rousseau, both good and bad effects. One of the good things about being …show more content…
Being in that field and seeing first hand how students and teachers were, must have played a huge roll for the job he played for education in the future. Rousseau eventually moved to the place that most people think of when they here the country name France, they think of Paris. Moving to the city of love in 1742, Rousseau was hoping to find a job as a composer, since that his always what he had wanted to become. (EGS). Unfortunately like most people, he did not get the job he was looking for right away, in fact he got a job that from the looks of it, had nothing to do with music. However writing the articles for the french encyclopedia at the time, his close friend David Diderot wanted him to write articles about music for it. Rousseau again moved on to another famous city to do a different job, secretary for the french ambassador in Venice. However he was back in Paris less then three years later for calling his employer, “stupid and arrogant” (INFED). Again becoming a teacher when returning to Paris, this time he focused on being a music instructor. Rousseau had a very different view on the subject of children at that time then did other adults. He viewed them as very different or unique to adults, also saying that children are entitled to “freedom and happiness” and that children are naturally good.