Rachel May, age 12, of Little Rock, Ark..,, for her question:
WHEN WAS THE FIRST NOBEL PRIZE AWARDED?
The internationally famous Nobel Prizes came about as a result of a will written by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel. In 1867 Nobel combined nitroglycerin with an absorbent substance that produced an explosive that could be handled and shipped safely. The product was called dynamite. Within a few years Nobel became one of the world's richest men with factories set up throughout the world.
When Alfred Nobel died in 1896, he left a will that directed his estate of $9 million dollars be used to provide awards for outstanding contributions in five different fields. Income each year from the estate was divided into equal shares for the winners.
Nobel awards go for the most important discovery or invention in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, the most distinguished literary work of an idealistic nature and the most effective work in the interest of international peace.
First awards were made in 1901. A sixth Nobel award, presented for the most outstanding work in the field of economic science, was awarded for the first time in 1969. The Swedish Central Bank established and provided money for the economics prize.
In 1975 the value of each Nobel prize was about $143,000.
Winners for the Nobel awards in physics, chemistry and economics are selected by the Royal Academy of Literature. Making the selection of the peace prize winner is a committee of five elected by the Norwegian parliament.
Winners are presented on Dec. 10 each year, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel. The peace,prize is presented in Oslo, Norway, while the other five are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. Occasionally prizes are not awarded or are awarded in a later year, and sometimes two or more persons may share a prize.
Up through 1975, 129 Nobel prize winners came from the United States, 68 from Great Britain, 62 from Germany, 41 from France, 21 from Sweden, 15 from Russia, 12 from Switzerland, 12 from The Netherlands, 11 from Italy, 11 from Austria and 11 from Denmark.
No peace prize was awarded in 1976. The 1975 award went to Andrei Sakharov of Russia for his efforts in support of peace and in opposition to violence and brutality.
In 1973 the Nobel peace prize went to Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam.for negotiating the Vietnam war cease fire agreement. Le buc Tho declined to accept his award.
Another American took the 1970 peace prize: Norman Borlaug was given the honor for his role in developing high yield grains that increased food production in underdeveloped countries. American Martin Luther King Jr. won in 1964 for leading the struggle for equality in the United States through nonviolent means.