This course will provide an introduction to the life of Joseph Priestley and a tour of the Priestley House in Northumberland. Participants will learn about Priestley’s early life and his education. They will meet Priestley the theologian and learn about his religious philosophy, the Unitarian Church and his religious writings.

Students will also get to know Joseph Priestley the scientist. Priestley’s experiments with gases, electricity and the creation of fizzy water, and his relationships with Benjamin Franklin and Antoine Lavoisier add to his prominent place in early American history.

Priestley the radical thinker is another side to this figure participants will encounter. Learn about the Lunar Society, Priestley’s support for the American and French Revolutions, his ties to Jefferson and Adams and more.

Priestley’s years in Northumberland and his influences on the local area will astound. Assorted guest lecturers will further deepen understanding of this complex individual and local celebrity.

Participants will meet on site at the Joseph Priestley House, 472 Priestley Ave., Northumberland. Representatives appointed by the course leader will lead each presentation for that lesson's topic. There may be excursions to nearby historic properties and sites related to Priestley. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation.

There are no required texts for this course, but if you are interested in learning about Priestley before your class begins, recommended is A World on Fire – a Heretic, an Aristocrat and the Race to Discover Oxygen, by Joe Jackson. This text is available in hard cover, paperback and as an eBook from online booksellers, local book dealers and at the Joseph Priestley House museum in Northumberland.