Robert E. Lee was considered by many to be an amazing man of character, determination, and talent. Confederate President Jefferson Davis hired him as his assistant for the war. Soon he was commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, and he commanded until his men could fight no more. In the end, he resigned with dignity and asked his men to do the same.
Thomas Jefferson was a gifted writer whose words helped form the country. Although at one time he wanted to be a great speaker, he found comfort and ease in writing. Not only was he a great writer, but also an architect, inventor, surveyor, scientist, and a brilliant politician. He wanted to make life better for all people.
Abraham Lincoln was president during one of the most unique times in history. With a country on the brink of war, his ultimate goal was to keep the Union together. When Lincoln freed the slaves, he angered many Southerners, including his assassin, John Wilkes Booth.
Ulysses S. Grant was a warrior, hero, and a compassionate soldier. Grant led the Union army to victory during the Civil War. The North thought of him as a hero for ending the Civil War and elected him president of the United States.
Siddhartha Gautama was born to the king of a tribe in northern India. He became known as “The Buddha.” Buddha traveled India for 45 years, teaching anyone who would listen.
Mansa Musa was the king of Mali. Located in western Africa, Mali became one of the largest empires during the time of Musa’s rule. Musa helped his empire grow in size and culture by encouraging the arts, literature, and architecture.
Confucius was born in 551 B.C. There was great suffering and chaos during this time in China. He wanted to devote his life to relieving the suffering he saw and believed government reform was needed. He devoted his life to making this reform occur.
Hatshepsut was a young woman who became the first female pharaoh of Egypt. When her father, Thutmose I, died, Hatshepsut was the only heir. Since she was female, leaders were afraid to make her pharaoh. She finally declared herself the pharaoh in 1501 B.C. and ruled Egypt for about 20 years.
Julius Caesar was a major figure in the ancient Roman Republic. Born in 100 B.C., Caesar grew up to be a talented leader who had a very successful military career. Not long after his death, the republic ended and Rome became an empire.
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who helped shape Greek beliefs. However, not everyone agreed with Socrates, and he made many people angry over the years. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to death. But Socrates’s ideas and beliefs can still be found today.
John Jay served in all three branches of the government. Once the Constitution was written, he was a staunch supporter of the document, joining some other men in anonymously writing “The Federalist Papers,” which explained to the public why the Constitution should be ratified. Soon after, he was made chief justice of the Supreme Court, and he was given the position of declaring laws unconstitutional for the very first time.
Eleanor Roosevelt lived during an exciting time. Women had just gained the right to vote. As a first lady, she made her own agenda and gave her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt, plenty of advice. She stood up for the weak and advocated for equal rights regardless of gender or skin color.
