Early Life

Born on June 28th, 1712 in Geneva, Switzerland
9 days later, his mum died due to medical issues.
His father was a watchmaker and traveled a lot to trade.
A few years later, his father abandoned Jean-Jacques. Since then, he was raised by his uncle and his aunt.

At age 13, he worked for an engraver but was punished severely. Because of this, he decided to fleed Geneva and went to Turin.
Living in Turin didn't work out, so he fled to Annecy in France, where he started writing a lot. He was also under the care of Madame de Warens, who later became his first love.
According to the Confessions (Works tab), those 12 years were “the one short period of happiness of my entire life.”
Unlike other philosophes such as Voltaire and Montesquieu who were highly educated, he was self-taught.
In 1742, Rousseau decided to leave Annecy because he felt like he felt that "he no longer occupied the same place in Mme. de Warens’ life". He also left to attend the Academy of Sciences in Paris. Continued on Mid Life Tab