Game - The A to Z's of Historical Figures

[sublime311]

List Historical Figures (in A to Z order by first name or last name). They can be anyone you've heard of, read about, or googled. It'd be cool if you could give us your favorite fact about them, but if not, that's ok. I'll start:

Augustus - the first, and the greatest, Roman emperor.

(the next historical figure will start with a B)

[sublime311]

Awww. Nobody wants to play with me? :(

Ok, I'll do the next one, too!

Bacon, Sir Francis - philosopher and statesman

[Brandles]

Julius Caesar

[sublime311]

Da Vinci, Leonardo

[Adaya]

Medgar Evers

He was one of the first martyrs of the civil-rights movement. His death prompted President John Kennedy to ask Congress for a comprehensive civil-rights bill, which President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the following year.

[sublime311]

Paulo Freire, influential educational theorist

[melmo]

Galileo -Italian scientist who formulated the basic law of falling bodies, which he verified by careful measurements. He constructed a telescope with which he studied lunar craters, and discovered four moons revolving around Jupiter and espoused the Copernican cause.

[Brandles]

Howard Hughes, eccentric millionaire

[Adaya]

Samuel Elmer Imes

In 1918, he became only the second African American to earn a doctorate in physics. His dissertation broke new scientific ground, presenting a new form of research, that fundamentally changed quantum theory.

[tgr68]

Jesus.

No matter what people believe about him spiritually, I find that most tend agree that he made an impact while in this world.

[chefker]

Khan, Genghis - founder of the Mongol empire & military conqueror

[Adaya]

Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000)

Painter who often created social themes detailing the African American experience expressed in colorfully angular, simplified, expressive, and richly decorative figurative effects.

[tgr68]

Martin Luther King, Jr. - Civil Rights Leader

[Brandles]

Nero (he's real, right?) If not, I'll think of another one! ;)

[HeatherFL]

Lee Harvey Oswald-according to the government responsible for assassinating JFK.

P.S. Yep, Nero was real. ;) He was the last emperor of Rome!

[sublime311]

Pasteur, Louis - He developed the process called 'pasteurisation'.

[rubyslippers]

William Clarke Quantrill was the leader of a group of pro-Confederate guerilla fighters in the Civil War. Frank and Jesse James were members of his group.

[sublime311]

Ride, Sally - Astrophysicist and first female astronaut in space.

[HeatherFL]

Sophocles - Ancient Greek author who wrote tragedies. Oedipus and Antigone being the most famous of his tragedies.

~H.

[sublime311]

Tubman, Harriet - Known as the "Moses of her People," Tubman was an outstanding woman who played a major role in American history and the Underground Railroad.

[HeatherFL]

LOL The Undertaker-Famous WWE Wrestling Star.

~H.

[Maggie8202]

Vincent van Gogh:
Taken from vincentvangogh.com:
Vincent van Gogh is well-regarded as one of the greatest and most famous artists, ever. His life and work has inspired and influenced much of art history since his tragic death in 1890. In fact, what many people today consider to be the archetypical "artist personna" is largely a result of his influence

[HeatherFL]

Woodrow Wilson-28th President of the United States.

[sublime311]

X, Malcom - African American nationalist who advocated self-help, self-defense, and education.

[tgray99]

Ride, Sally - Astrophysicist and first female astronaut in space.

First American woman in space. The first woman in space was Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet in the early 60s. Not to be snarky or anything...this is my masters degree area of concentration so I'm a tad anal about this stuff. ;)

John Young: He is the first person to fly in space six times from earth, and seven times counting his lunar liftoff.

[HeatherFL]

Maybe the poster meant first female [American] Astronaut in space after all? :) Technically, Valentina Tereshkova was a Cosmonaut because she is Russian (even though they're pretty much the same thing.) And Sally Ride was/is an Astronaut. On nothing more than a technicality, I'd say that Sally Ride was the first female Astronaut (the American term) and Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space. Sorry, my dad was military for 30 years. We heard lots about this from the astronauts surrounding us growing up. :) Of course, if I am wrong I defer to the experts!

Emiliano Zapata-Famous leader of the Mexican Revolution.

~H.

[mrs_pell]

Alexander, the Great

From Wikepedia:
[Alexander,]king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history, if not the most successful. Before his death, he conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks; he is regarded as one of the greatest military strategists and tacticians who ever lived.

[tgray99]

Maybe the poster meant first female [American] Astronaut in space after all? :) Technically, Valentina Tereshkova was a Cosmonaut because she is Russian (even though they're pretty much the same thing.) And Sally Ride was/is an Astronaut. On nothing more than a technicality, I'd say that Sally Ride was the first female Astronaut (the American term) and Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space. Sorry, my dad was military for 30 years. We heard lots about this from the astronauts surrounding us growing up. :) Of course, if I am wrong I defer to the experts!

True. And she may have meant that but most people forget about Tereshkova and think Sally Ride was the first woman in space (astronaut/cosmonaut confusion aside). Of course, the US media making an enormous deal about her being the first American woman didn't help.

Benjamin Franklin - invented bifocals, wanted the national bird to be the turkey (no joke!)

[mrs_pell]

George Washington Carver -- Among many other things, developed over 300 uses for the peanut, and developed the crop rotation method.

[HeatherFL]

Salvador Dalí - Famous surrealist Spanish painter.

Know what ya mean tgray! :)

~H.

[tgray99]

Enrico Fermi: the physicist who built the first experimental nuclear reactor at the University of Chicago

[HeatherFL]

Oh I loved the Fermi lab! I spent an entire day there once. It was so cool!

Franklin, Benjamin-Scientist, Inventor, Printer, Philosopher, etc. Invented bifocals, the lightning rod (though the story says electricity LOL) and the odometer.

~H.

[tgray99]

Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom: One of the Original Mercury 7 astronauts, 2nd American man in space. He commanded the "Liberty Bell 7" spacecraft which was lost at sea after a successful mission. He also commanded Gemini 3, the first 2-man flight nicknamed "Molly Brown" in response to not losing this one at sea. He and 2 other astronauts perished in a tragic flash fire on the launch pad of Apollo 1.

[tgr68]

Henry Ford ~ found of the Ford Motor Company & the first to use the assembly line in a factory setting

[HeatherFL]

Washington Irving - Author, writer of short stories. Most famous for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

~H.

[tgray99]

Thomas Jefferson - founding father

[HeatherFL]

Keller, Helen - became extremely ill as a child which caused her to become deaf and blind. Overcame these adversities with the help of her teacher and went onto write books, give speeches and inspire many people to overcome hardship.

[tgray99]

Joseph Lister: Made the connection between lack of cleanliness in hospitals and deaths after operations. For this reason, he is known as the ‘Father of Antiseptic Surgery’.

[HeatherFL]

Montezuma-Aztec emperor defeated by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Also a joking name for gastric upset in foreigners visiting place and drinking the water they are not used to.

[sublime311]

Sorry for the space-related faux pas. My Sally Ride post should have included "American". Thanks for the help, Heather!

Nixon, Richard M. - 37th US president. The only US president to be forced to resign from office.

[HeatherFL]

Ono, Yoko-Most famous for being widow of John Lennon. Activist and artist.

[sublime311]

Pablo Picasso - Spanish painter and scultor, he is one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century.

[HeatherFL]

Quayle, Dan - 44th Vice President of the United States. Told a 12 year old that potato should be spelled potatoE.

~H.

[sublime311]

Renoir, Pierre-Auguste (1841-1919) - famous French painter, associated with the Impressionism movement.

I saw his painting "Luncheon of the Boat Party" (http://www.svcc.cc.il.us/academics/classes/murray/hum210/renoir.jpg)in person. Wow. It took my breath away. It was HUGE and beautiful.

[HeatherFL]

Socrates-5th Century Greek Philsopher. Pursued truth over being "right."

[sublime311]

Tutankhamen (King Tut) - King of Ancient Egypt (1336- 1327 BCE), being the 12th ruler of the 18th Dynasty. His rule had little consequence - he is only known for the contents of his mostly intact tomb.

[camberne]

Updike, John - Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer.

[HeatherFL]

Van Buren, Martin- Eighth President of the United States. Despite his short height, he was known for always looking "upright."

[IrishEyes]

Wilma Rudolph: 3-time Olympic track champion

[HeatherFL]

Xuxa-LOL this was the only one I could think of. Brazilian woman who acts, sings and I know her for hosting a kids gameshow in Spanish.

[Reenie]

Yogi Berra- Famous baseball player, also known for his funny quips to the press, including, "So I'm ugly. So what? I never saw anyone hit with his face."

[HeatherFL]

Zosimus-(fl. 490s-510s) Byzantine (Greek speaking Roman Empire) historian and considered a hero during his time. Advocate of the imperial treasury.

[melmo]

Adolf Hitler - no explanation needed, I don't think.

[sublime311]

Berlin, Irving (1888-1989) - American songwriter.

[jellybeany]

Carter, Jimmy - American President

[sublime311]

Degas, Edgar (1834-1917) - A French painter and one of the founders of the impressionist movement. Best known for this sculpture, paintings and drawings of dancers.

[Brandles]

Einstein, Albert

[sublime311]

Fawkes, Guy (1570-1606) - a member of a group who attempted to assasinate King James I and both houses of Parliament of England. They tried to blow up Westminster where the opening session of the 1605 Parliament took place. The later stages of the plan, which Fawkes was responsible for, was detected and he was executed for treason. England still celebrates the failed attempt with fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night (11/05).

[jellybeany]

Gandhi

[Toonces]

President Herbert Hoover

[sublime311]

Imhotep (2667 BC - 2648 BC) - He was responsible for the world's first known monumental stone building, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara and is the first architect we know by name.

[PookiePrincess]

Lyndon B. Johnson - became president after JFK was assassinated.

[Brandles]

Kitty Kelly--The famous biography writer.

[HeatherFL]

Ralph Lauren-Famous fashion designer.

[CLW4KU]

Marilyn Monroe

[jellybeany]

Newton, Isaac - discovered gravity

[CLW4KU]

Oprah ~ Revolutionized women on tv

[sublime311]

Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849)~ Author of my favorite poem ("A Dream Within a Dream"), "The Raven" and "The Tell Tale Heart" and many other poems and stories.
"One the greatest and unhappiest of American poets, a master of the horror tale, and the patron saint of the detective story."

[mindy75]

John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States and the son of 2cd President John Adams.

[jellybeany]

Eleanor Roosevelt

[nicole]

Samuel Clemens ~ Mark Twain's alias

[mindy75]

Harriet Taylor: 19th century women's rights advocate

[houseblend]

Ulysses S. Grant - 18th President; leader in the Civil War on the Union side

[PookiePrincess]

Garavani Valentino - fashion designer

[mindy75]

Andy Warhol: 20th century artist

[houseblend]

St. Francis Xavier:

a pioneering Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). The Roman Catholic Church considers him to have converted more people to Christianity than anyone else since St. Paul.[

(Phew! X is a tough one!)

[Adaya]

Andrew Young~Civil Rights activist and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations

[mindy75]

Mao Zedong - Chinese communist leader, founder of the People's Republic of China

[jellybeany]

Abigail Adams - Wife of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams. Known for her letters and opinions on society.

[LaughAtlantis]

Burt Bacharach - composer and lyricist extraordinare... particularly if you are a fan of the cheesy.

[houseblend]

Marie Curie - scientist attributed to discovering radium; first two-time Nobel Laureate

[pocahontas]

Fredrick Douglas-great abolitionist

[May27JnJ]

Dwight D. Eisenhower

[pocahontas]

Ella Fitzgerald~influential 20th century jazz vocalist

[mindy75]

Geronimo ~ the last Apache warrior to surrender to US forces (1886).

[pocahontas]

Alex Haley~American writer

[mindy75]

Isaac Newton: English physicist. Described universal gravitation and laid out the laws of motion.

[pocahontas]

Lyndon B. Johnson

[houseblend]

Francis Scott Key - writer of the "Star Spangled Banner"

[pocahontas]

Abraham Lincoln

[LaughAtlantis]

Arthur Miller... American playwright and Marilyn Monroe's husband

[Brandles]

Napoleon Bonaparte

[pocahontas]

Oprah Winfrey

[Adaya]

Paul Laurence Dunbar-American poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

[pocahontas]

Quincy Jones-song composer and arranger

[mindy75]

Rameses the Great ~ Egyptian Pharaoh

[pocahontas]

Samuel Chase-Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland

[mindy75]

William Tyndale: 16th century theologian, translated the bible into English

[pocahontas]

Ulysses S. Grant

[mindy75]

Victoria: The longest reigning British monarch

[pocahontas]

William Penn: founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

[whos that girl]

Malcolm X.

[pocahontas]

Carl Yastrzemski
Baseball player, born in Southampton, New York

[jellybeany]

Zachary Taylor ~ 12th president

[pocahontas]

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) - Seamstress, servant, teacher, Civil War nurse, and finally, author and novelist.

[jellybeany]

Clara Barton - Civil War nurse, founder of the American Red Cross.

[sublime311]

Miguel de Cervantes - Spanish novelist (Don Quixote), poet and playwright.

[pocahontas]

Dante-an Italian poet from Florence.

[PookiePrincess]

Amelia Earhart - the first woman to fly solo across both the Atlantic Ocean (in 1932) and the Pacific Ocean (in 1935).