influencial american from 1607-1877?

Question

i need to do a research on one influencial american person living and "vital" from 1607-1877.

here is the criteria:

1. i have to be able to find at least 4 scholarly sources on the person. (or semi-scholarly sources)

2. person must have lived a good portion of life in the USA. It has to be someone in American History.

3. NO PRESIDENTS- apparently that would be too easy.

this is a history 1301 class, so i think the teacher wants us to focus on someone during the founding of the country.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Christopher Gist. He was a tracker and guide who led a young George Washington on his famous surveying trip through Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York and saved his life at least twice. We'd never have had "the father of our country" if Gist hadn't been his guide. I guarantee no one else in your class has even heard of him, but George Washington thought the world of this man.

Answer 2

General Robert E. Lee

Answer 3

Benjamin Franklin--author, publisher, diplomat, scientist, Postmaster General, contributor & signer to the Declaration of Independence--easy choice, plenty of material, no argument that he WAS influencial.

Answer 4

I'd pick Ben Franklin because there's a lot of material on him and if you want to you can get into some really kinky stuff. Also he was an international hero not just American.