What Was Marie Curie’s Upbringing Like Marie Curie was born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw then part of the Russian Empire but now in Poland on November 7 1867 Maria was the youngest of five children she had three sisters and one brother Her parents were teachers and made sure that their daughters were as well educated as their son This was unusual at the time Boys were expected to get a job when they grew up whereas girls were supposed to get married have children and stay at home to care for their family This often meant that the education of girls was not considered important
Maria center is seen here with her brother and sisters Maria got her love of science from her father Wladislaw who was a math and physics teacher At the time Warsaw was ruled by the Russian Empire which greatly angered Maria’s father His feelings caused him to lose a good teaching position The family was very poor Zosia Maria’s eldest sister died of a disease called typhus when Maria was only eight Maria’s mother Bronislawa died from a disease called tuberculosis two years later when Maria was 10
Maria’s mother died in May 1878 She was 42 years old
School Maria’s principal had suggested to Maria’s father that he hold her back a year Although Maria was at the top of her class she was very sensitive Instead Wladislaw pulled her out of that school and sent her to a Russian-run school that focused on extremely intelligent children In 1883 Maria graduated at the top of her high school class at the young age of 15
