Lithuanian historian, writer and educator, one of the first ideologues of national revival.
Born in a family of free peasants. The mother was buried in the cemetery of the Lenkim Church.
Studied at Kretinga primary and Žemaičių Kalvarija 4th grade schools, Vilnius gymnasium, 1822. graduated from Vilnius University, but due to the law of philomath-philaret cases, he received his master's degree only in 1825. Immediately after that, he went to Riga, where he served in the office of the Riga Governor General.
Since 1835 An official of the Senate in St. Petersburg, who spent most of his service in the Senate department responsible for Lithuanian Metrics. In 1841, with the efforts of S. Daukant and his comrades from the tsarist government. permission was obtained to establish parish Lithuanian schools in Lithuania. This permit legalized already operating schools and allowed for the expansion of their network, which greatly contributed to the preservation and development of the Lithuanian language.
Already in St. Petersburg, he started collaborating with Motiejs Valančius. in 1850 returned to Žemaitija. S. Daukantas believed in reviving the Lithuanian nation through cultural activities, he did not see the real prospects of political liberation from the Russian Empire, therefore, although he sympathized, he himself did not participate either in 1830-1831 or in 1863-1864. in uprisings.
