Samuel George Morton

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Samuel George Morton was an American physician and natural scientist, renowned for his work in the field of craniometry and anthropology during the 19th century. He is best known for his controversial theories on racial differences which he presented in his seminal work, "Crania Americana". Morton believed that the size of skulls was indicative of intelligence and character, leading him to categorize various human races based on cranial measurements. His ideas significantly influenced the scientific discourse on race during his time, although they have since been discredited and criticized for promoting racial hierarchies.

Morton's legacy is a complex one, as he was a pioneer in the field of physical anthropology, yet his work contributed to the justification of racist ideologies. His collection of skulls and his ethnological studies were foundational in the establishment of anthropology as a scientific discipline, but they also reflected the biases of his era. Despite the problematic nature of his conclusions, Morton played a crucial role in the early discussions of human diversity and the scientific attempts to understand it.