1.1 Mendels Experiments Mendel, born in 1822, grew up in a rural area of what is now a part of Czechoslovakia. Because his family was poor, he entered a monastery in order to continue his education Mendel had a lifelong interest in biology, particularly animal breeding but because his superiors did not think it appropriate for a cleric to breed Gregor Johann Mendel animals he concentrated instead on (1822-84) raising garden peas and other plants in the monastery garden1.1 Mendel’s Experiments Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-84) Mendel, born in 1822, grew up in a rural area of what is now a part of Czechoslovakia. Because his family was poor, he entered a monastery in order to continue his education. Mendel had a lifelong interest in biology, particularly animal breeding, but because his superiors did not think it appropriate for a cleric to breed animals, he concentrated instead on raising garden peas and other plants in the monastery garden