FAMOUS AMERICANS

Paul revere This person lived in the late 1700’s in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a silversmith by trade. He had to overcome taxes on goods that he sold. During his life the British would not let the colonists vote. The British affected the thirteen colonies by over taxing them, and not letting them make their own choices. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem called “The Midnight Ride” that made him famous He helped bring rights and freedom in democracy by: his Midnight Ride and Members of the Sons of Liberty.

Frederick douglass He had to stop learning to read because it was against the law for enslaved people to know how to read. He gave a piece of bread to poor white boys if they would teach him what they learned in school. During his lifetime the U.S. was divided in the 1800s: North – free states and South – slave states. The south relied on slaves to produce crops to grow and be sold. To escape slavery, he dressed like a sailor, got a free African American sailor’s papers, and took a train to New York. After becoming free, he moved back to US from Great Britain and started the antislavery newspaper, The North Star.

Susan b. anthony When she lived, women were not allowed to vote. She wanted to change laws to allow women to vote. During her lifetime in the early 1800’s, most people thought women were like children and could not make their own decisions. She became a teacher. She lost her job because she complained about not being paid as much as men who did the same thing. She became the principal of the Girl’s Department at Canajoharie Academy in New York. After teaching, she wanted to work for justice or fair treatment. Slavery was one injustice that angered her. She worked with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She helped form the Women’s National Loyal League which was the first political group in the U.S. to be formed by women.

Mary mcleod bethune This famous African American woman was born in 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina just after slavery had ended. She decided to start a school in Daytona, Florida. Many African Americans lived there and more were moving there. There were not enough schools for African American children. She promised herself that one day she would learn to read because some white girls told her that she couldn’t read. She picked up a book. She was fifteen when she finally learned to read. She was on a special team at school, called the debate team. She learned to argue for her ideas. She was an example of diligence, respect for and acceptance of authority, and justice. She was the first woman and African American to be honored with a statue in a public park.

Franklin d. roosevelt This famous person lived in a big house, had dogs and ponies as pets, but believed in helping people less fortunate than himself. In 1921 he had polio. Because of this disease he would not be able to walk. He visited Warm Springs, Georgia to help him feel better. He was Presient of the United States during the Great Depression. Many people lost their jobs during this time period. Through the "New Deal" he promised to help get millions of Americans back to work. As President of the United States he led the fight to help Great Britain and France fight for democracy in Europe.

Eleanor roosevelt This famous person helped start an organization called United Nations. The United Nations helped keep the peace among the nations. She married her distant cousin, and they both wanted to spend their life helping others. He became President of the United States. She was known as Franklin’s eyes and ears. She was called this because when she traveled she told him everything she saw and heard. She devoted her life to helping others. Her father hoped she would grow up to be brave. She helped write The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Lyndon b. johnson He believed that education could overcome poverty. He wanted more money for schools, to build roads to make travel easier, and to bring electricity to places like where he grew up. He believed that education could overcome poverty. He wanted more money for schools, to build roads to make travel easier, and to bring electricity to places like where he grew up. In 1964 he would kept working to build a “Great Society”. This meant an end to racial unfair treatment and poverty. He asked Congress to pass The Voting Rights Act which protected African Americans' right to vote. On November 22, 1963 he was sworn in as President of the United States because President John F. Kennedy was killed.

Thurgood marshall This famous person would argue or debate with his teachers. To keep him busy, his teachers had him study the United States Constitution. His parents taught him that education was important, be proud to be an African American, treat everyone with respect and respect yourself, and it is important to protect rights and the rights of others.. During his lifetime there was segregation. African Americans were kept apart from other Americans in many public places. For example, African American baseball players could not play on the same team as other players. Three characteristics that describe him would be: Justice, Freedom of Conscience and Expression, and Respect for and Acceptance of Authority. He served as a judge on the U.S. Supreme Court for 24 years. He was the first African American on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cesar chavez He was born in Yuma, Arizona in 1927. His parents taught him four things: hard work, diligence, think about others, and talking was the way to solve problems. He wanted to improve working conditions for migrant workers. Migrant workers had no running water, no electricity, and no housing. He believed that farm workers should be paid for their work, and they should be allowed to speak their own language. In 1965, a small union of grape pickers in Delano, CA went on strike. This group was called The United Farm Workers.