Key Individuals in US History Sponsored by your OUTSTANDING 8th grade US History teachers

Patriot Author of anti-British plays and poems Anti-Federalist

Mercy Otis Warren

Virginia Main author of Declaration of Independence Secretary of State for Washington 3rd President Louisiana Purchase – 1803 – Lewis and Clark Expedition Embargo Act – stop foreign trade to keep us out of war

Thomas Jefferson

South Carolina Senator for South Carolina Nullification Crisis – opposed Tariff of Abominations and encouraged secession

John C. Calhoun

Former slave – escaped to freedom Abolitionist leader North Star – abolitionist newspaper Advisor to President Lincoln during the Civil War Helped recruit African Americans into the Union army

Frederick Douglas

Spanish Governor of the Louisiana Territory during American Revolution Sided with Americans and gave them aide during the Revolution Galveston, Texas is named in his honor

Bernardo de Galvez

French and Indian War – advocated colonial unity with his Albany Plan of Union “Join or Die” Continental Congress – on committee to write Declaration of Independence US Ambassador to France during Revolution Constitutional Convention – oldest delegate

Benjamin Franklin

Virginia 5th President Presidency known as “era of good feelings” Monroe Doctrine – provided that the Western Hemisphere should be free from future European colonization

James Monroe

Federalist Party Opposed War of 1812 Believed in federal sovereignty over state sovereignty Northern leader

Daniel Webster

Founding father / patriot Influential town leader and soldier during American Revolution Town messenger for the regional Committee of Safety -

Wentworth Cheswell

Virginia Lincoln asked him to lead the Union at the start of the Civil War but he seceded with his home state of Virginia Commander of the Confederate Army Surrendered to Grant at Appomattox

Robert E. Lee

Member of the Hudson River School – painter (mostly birds) Conservationist – preserve environment

John James Audubon

Leader in the women’s rights movement Organized the Seneca Falls Convention for Women’s Rights Wrote Declaration of Sentiments (modeled after Declaration of Independence) which called for equal rights for women

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Virginia Father of our Constitution Author of Federalist Papers Author of Bill of Rights 4th President War of 1812

James Madison

6th President Father was John Adams Adams-Onis Treaty 1819 1824 election ran against Andrew Jackson who claimed that Adams victory represented a corrupt bargain

John Quincy Adams

Illinois Ran against Stephen Douglas for US Senator from Illinois – lost but gained national recognition Republican 16th President President for Union during Civil War

Abraham Lincoln

Virginia Fought during French and Indian War – Virginia militia Delegate to Continental Congress Commander of the Continental Army during American Revolution President of the Constitutional Convention – 1787 1st President of US Foreign policy – remain neutral – Neutrality Proclamation Farewell Address Father of our Country

George Washington

King of England during American Revolution

King George III

Former slave who was a spy for Washington during the Revolutionary war

James Armistead

Founder of Connecticut colony Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – 1639 – limited government

Thomas Hooker

US Admiral of the Navy during American Revolution Defeated British warship Serapis Father of the US Navy

John Paul Jones

Massachusetts Defended British soldiers after the Boston Massacre On committee for Declaration of Independence 2nd President of the US XYZ Affair

John Adams

Transcendentalist (system of philosophy and reasoning) author who wrote many books and poems Heavily influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson Civil Disobedience – called for passive resistance to unjust laws

Henry David Thoreau

Quaker – equal rights for all (including women and Native Americans) Founder of Pennsylvania colony

William Penn

Confederate military leader during Civil War Died at the battle of Chancellorsville – big loss for the Confederacy

Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

English philosopher His works inspired our Declaration of Independence Natural rights – life liberty and property Government is a social contract – government should protect your rights or you can rebel

John Locke

Kentucky War Hawk – War of 1812 Speaker of the US House of Representatives – involved in the “corrupt Bargain” that allowed John Quincy Adams to become President over Andrew Jackson American System - called for tariff and internal improvements Great Compromiser; Missouri Compromise and Compromise of 1850

Henry Clay

Virginia Wrote Virginia Declaration of Rights Influenced Jefferson when writing the Declaration of Independence Delegate at constitutional Convention but did not sign the Constitution Anti-Federalist

George Mason

Southerner Fought in Mexican American War President of the Confederacy

Jefferson Davis

Patriot Author of Common Sense – encouraged colonists to break with England and become independent Author of The Crisis – encouraged Continental soldiers to continue to fight for independence “These are the times that try men’s souls”

Thomas Paine

Federalists Chief Justice of the supreme Court Marbury vs Federalists Chief Justice of the supreme Court Marbury vs. Madison McCulloch vs. Maryland Gibbons vs. Ogden Supreme court cases helped to strengthen the power of the federal government

John Marshall

Chilean immigrant Member of US Navy during Civil War Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor in 1865

Philip Bazaar

French The Spirit of the Laws Influenced founding fathers – separation of powers into 3 branches

Baron Charles de Montesquieu

Virginia Patriot – “Give me liberty or give me death” Delegate for First Continental Congress Anti-Federalist – Against Constitution because it gave too much power to the federal government and there was no Bill of Rights

Patrick Henry

Former slave was the first civilian killed by the British soldiers during the Boston Massacre

Crispus Attucks

Soldier for 54th Massachusetts regiment – all African American regiment of the Civil War First African American awarded the Medal of Honor

William Carney

French Fought for the Americans during the Revolution Close friend of G. Washington First foreigner to be granted honorary US citizenship

Marquis de Lafayette

British jurist (attorney) His work influenced the Founding Fathers Classic Commentaries on the Laws of England

William Blackstone

Massachusetts Colonial organizer during revolution Committees of correspondence

Samuel Adams

Women’s Suffrage Movement – women’s voting rights 19th Amendment

Susan B. Anthony

Wife of John Adams Revolutionary leader – women’s rights leader “Remember the Ladies”

Abigail Adams

War of 1812 – Battle of New Orleans – made a national hero Old Hickory 7th President Jacksonian Democracy Spoils system Vetoed National Bank Clashed with John C. Calhoun during the Nullification Crisis Indian Removal Act – Trail of Tears

Andrew Jackson

Aide-de-Camp (personal assistant) to Washington during Revolution Delegate Constitutional Convention Author of The Federalist Papers Secretary of the Treasury for Washington and worked to pay off the country’s debts – created National Bank Founder of the Federalist Party

Alexander Hamilton

Fought in Mexican War Union General during Civil War 18th President

Ulysses S. Grant