Which person in American History would be best to do a huge report on?

Question

This person can range from Ted Bundy to George Washington, from Al Capone to Stephen King...I need some topic proposals and I need at least three, so whoever can give me the most (or at least the most interesting) names will probably win this one :)

Answer 1

Gen. Douglas MacArthur he had a long and controversial career. He was fired by President Truman during the Korean War. You'll find a ton of info - this guy even played a major role the future of modern Japan after they surrendered.

In popular culture what about Walt Disney the man who started it all. He was much more then just the theme park guy, played a huge role in animation/ film.

You want an interesting figure in the MAFIA how about Lucky Luciano- He was born in Italy came over to America at the age 9. This guy was known as the Mafia Czar, because he was able to form an alliance with the various families in NYC. United States Government let this go out of prison , so he could help during WWII especially in Sicily.

Answer 2

George Washington- Deservedly called "The Father of Our Country' Did more to Win the War of Inderpendence and form our government than anyone else. Was also responsible for many agricultural innovations.

Medgar Evers- Civil Rights Activist.

John Wayne- One of the greatest action stars ever. Was once targeted by the USSR for assassination.
He was in such movies as The Sands of Iwo Jima, The Searchers, and True Grit.

James Smithson- Though not an American, he was responsible for the founding of the Smithsonian Institution.

Answer 3

Jackson Pollack
The only serious American philosophers of the 19th century:
Charles Saunders Pierce & William James (they were buddies)
2 great novelists:
Edith Wharton and Henry James (they were buddies too)
John Quincy Adams (was a teenager in Paris with his dad during negotiations for treaty to end US Revolution, was a U.S. Representative after being president, defended the slaves of the Amistad, a generally interesting guy.)
Warren G. Harding & his Alaska vacation
How to go out in style: Nelson Rockefeller
Ted Kennedy: Decision at Chappaquiddick
Wilbur Mills: Three Sequins in the Fountain

Answer 4

Here are a few of my favorite figures in American History:

Benjamin "Bugsy" Segal was the Jewish gangster who founded Las Vegas.

Thomas Edison, the most prolific inventor in American History.

Jonas Salk discovered the vaccine for polio, ending one of the worst plagues in world history.

Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the Morse code, which is still used today when a ship's communications are not working.

Frederick Law Olmstead was a landscape architect who inspired New York's Central Park. He pushed for greening in American cities, an early environmental activist of sorts.

Henry David Thoreau was a high school drop out and prolific and successful writer.

Walter Lippmann was a very influential Journalist. It was said he could turn the tide of a presidential election with a single column.

George Eastman was the founder of the Kodak Camera Company.

P.T. Barnum was an extraordinary showman who's traveling circus, in partnership with "Baily" is still one of the best in the world today.

Answer 5

Here are the names of some people that tend to get glossed over in US history, but are actually quite interesting, particularly when you look at the stuff that they aren't known for but still had a huge influence on.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- One of the founders of the women's suffrage movement, she also adressed more controversial issues about a hundred years ahead of the 1960s women's movement.

James J. Hill -One of the last railroad robber barons, he built the Great Northern Railroad, which was the last of the three main transcontinental railroads to be built. He also influenced the creation of Glacier National Park to promote interest in his railway, and was a genius in terms of promoting the success of his railroad. Many of the industries in the northern part of the country at that time were built by him. He also was influential in politics of the time.

Charles Lindbergh -The first man to fly a plane across the Atlantic. He also was one of the focal points behind the tragedy of the kidnapping and death of his son. There was also a lot of controversy in later life over his political and scientific leanings.

Benedict Arnold -THE TRAITOR in US History, he actually has a lot of interesting background in the time leading up to his actual defection to the Bristish side. There's quite a bit that you could do on motiviations, ambitions, and how he reached the point of influence that he did in the Contintental Army.

Answer 6

Benjamin Franklin

A genius of his times, for starters:


Idea of Daylight Saving Time

The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin (portrait at right) during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Read more about Franklin's essay.

Some of Franklin's friends, inventors of a new kind of oil lamp, were so taken by the scheme that they continued corresponding with Franklin even after he returned to America.

The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett (1857-1915) in the pamphlet, "Waste of Daylight" (1907), that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September. As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What?" In his pamphlet "The Waste of Daylight" he wrote:

"Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used."

Answer 7

Henry Clay, Eugene V. Debs, Samuel Gompers, John Brown, Herbert Croly, Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair...

Answer 8

I had good luck with Stephen Crane (although to my chagrin I was told that I spent too much time on the literature and not enough on the man).

John Lennon

Greg Palast (he may be in Britain now, but he was an American citizen for a LONG time)

Woody Guthrie (legendary folk singer)

The creator/creators of slam-nation (poetry slam creators)

Kay Redfield Jameson (Revolutionized psychiatry by admitting as a psychiatrist herself, that she had bipolar disorder, as well as her amazing research).

Or BETTER YET!

Robert Muczynksi-- Chicago native! Fantastic pianist and composer. I think one of the best 20th century composer, because, even though he uses modern harmonic devices, his music actually sounds like music. My piano prof did her dissertation on him.

Tim Gellway (I think) revolutionized the practice of many disciplines by his "inner game of tennis"book, you could investigate him, and the many offshoots into disciplines from ski-ing to music.

HP Lovecraft -- Horror writer extraordinaire.

Frank Schiffer - Is in the process right now of changing the way we think about psychology, and coming to grips with the dual-brain theory concerning the amazing independence and abilities of each hemisphere that seems to be capable of functioning as independent selves.

Mary Pipher and Rachael Simmons -- bringing to the forefront female aggression and behavior patterns

To suggest just a few off the wall ideas.

Answer 9

Alexander Hamilton
Evil Knieval
Oswald

Answer 10

Roger Williams ((look in Rhode Island) most interesting - but more research)
Ben Franklin (easiest)
George Eastman (founder of Kodak camera)