Publicizing the existence of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 brought Hiram Bingham III international attention, though he was not a trained archaeologist. His exploration work transitioned into a political career where he served as a university teacher, governor of Connecticut, and a member of the United States Senate across various sessions between 1925 and 1933.
Academic Foundations and Early Teaching
Born in Honolulu in 1875, Bingham moved to the United States to pursue higher education. He attended Phillips Academy, graduating in 1894, before earning a degree from Yale College in 1898 and a degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1900. He later secured a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1905. His professional career began in academia, where he taught history and politics at Harvard and served as a preceptor at Princeton University. In 1907, he returned to Yale as a lecturer in South American history, establishing himself as a pioneer in the field.
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Take the IQ test →Expeditions to South America
Bingham’s involvement in exploration began after he attended the First Pan American Scientific Congress in Santiago, Chile, in 1908. During his subsequent journey through Peru, he visited Choquequirao. This experience prompted him to organize the 1911 Yale Peruvian Expedition. While searching for the last capital of the Incas, his team was led by local farmers to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Though he initially recognized that others, such as Agustín Lizárraga, had visited the site earlier, his subsequent publications—including the 1948 bestseller Lost City of the Incas—framed the discovery as a scientific achievement. These expeditions resulted in the removal and export of approximately 40,000 artifacts, including ceramics and human skeletal remains.
Political Career and Later Years
Bingham entered politics in the 1920s, serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1923 to 1925. In 1924, he was elected Governor of Connecticut; however, his tenure proved exceptionally brief. After being simultaneously elected to the United States Senate, he resigned his governorship after only one day in 1925 to accept the federal position. He remained in the Senate until 1933, serving through multiple consecutive terms. Following his political life, he died in Washington, D.C., in 1956 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1875, Honolulu
- Died: 1956, Washington, D.C.
- Education: Yale, Harvard, UC Berkeley
- Governor of Connecticut: 1925
- United States Senator: 1925-1933
- Expedition: 1911 Yale Peruvian Expedition
- Burial: Arlington National Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Was Hiram Bingham III the first person to reach Machu Picchu?
No. Local indigenous people were living in the area, and records indicate that explorers such as Agustín Lizárraga visited the site as early as 1902.
How long was his term as Governor of Connecticut?
Bingham served as governor for one day in 1925 before vacating the office to take a seat in the United States Senate.
Achievements
- Recorded as politician, explorer and archaeologist
