An “American Galton”: Frederick Adams Woods and the eugenic foundations of historiometry

Abstract

This paper explores the life and work of Frederick Adams Woods (1873–1939), a prominent yet neglected figure in Progressive Era eugenics. Known as the “American Galton,” Woods advanced an uncompromising hereditarianism and developed historiometry, a quantitative method aimed at demonstrating the primacy of heredity in shaping intelligence, morality, and historical outcomes. His studies of European royalty and his theory of “alternative inheritance” sought to refine Galton’s approach while reinforcing eugenic claims. While his influence faded as environmentalist perspectives gained ground, Woods remains significant as both a leading hereditarian voice and an early advocate for quantifying history as science.