1. Renoir is the only name that many people know him as, but it is really just his family name. The full name of Renoir is Pierre-Auguste Renoir and he was born in Limoges, in the province of Haute-Vienne in France. With his wife, Aline Victorine Charigot, Renoir had three sons.

2. Renoir was very influential in his field and was regarded by many critics and other painters as an authority in the field. One of his good friends was Claude Monet. Monet was a very significant influence on Renoir. Renoir did a portrait of Monet in 1875 which depicts him standing in front of a window holding a palette and his brushes.

3. One of the earliest paintings be Renoir was called Diana and was an image of the goddess Diana. Diana was a mythological figure from Roman history, and this piece was one of the most important works ever done by Renoir. The style of Renoir changed over his career and many wouldn't recognize the painting as his, at least not at first glance. But the colors and clear skin of the model are still very characteristic of Renoir's style and the evolution can be seen in the image.

4. Renoir did many paintings of small children and is known for his skill in depicting them. One of the best he made was of a little girl with blond hair wearing a dark blue dress with lots of white lace. The painting is called Little Girl with a Watering Can and is one of the classic paintings of Renoir that shows the innocence and purity of childhood. Painting children is quite difficult and Renoir was able to get them to hold still long enough to paint.

5. The wife of Renoir was his partner for his whole life and took a great interest in his work. She was even in one of his paintings called The Luncheon of the Boating Party. The painting is interesting because everyone is looking at someone else except Aline. She is playing with a small dog and doesn't have any idea about what is going on around her.

Renoir's wife Aline is portrayed.

6. Some of the most famous paintings of Renoir were of African Muslims from Algeria. Algeria was very important to France at the time as one of its former colonies and very influential on his work. Many of his paintings depicted these people and the city of Algiers.

7. Renoir was famous for his very skillful use of colors, but is also famous for his painting, Umbrellas, for his effective use of black, white and grays. A rainy day in Paris inspired the painting and many believe that it is one of his best works.

8. The Bathers may be the most famous work of Renoir and is one of the most celebrated of all impressionist works. This was painted between 1884 and 1887 and shows three nude women bathing in the water of the Seine River.

9. Renoir liked Richard Wagner and his music until he painted his portrait. After that time he really didn't care for him because of his foul attitude during the session.

10. Renoir was known for his many portraits, but also liked to paint still life. Some of the things he enjoyed painting the most in his still life images were fruits and flowers. He liked to paint flowers that his wife brought in from the garden and arrange in a vase.

Louis Armstrong is one of the most famous musicians in American history. He is one of the most celebrated musicians of all time, known all over the world for his jazz and musical abilities. He was also very famous because he was an African American who gained fame at a time when people's talents were not always recognized because of their skin color. He is an inspiration to musicians all over the world.

1. Born on the 4th of July

Many people know that Louis Armstrong, known for his very wide smile and very bright white teeth, was born in New Orleans. Armstrong drew attention to New Orleans, a center for musical genius, and made it very famous. Some people don't know that he was born on Independence Day, July 4, 1900.

2. The Coronet

Bunk Jones, who played the coronet, was Louis Armstrong's hero. Louis took interest in music at a very young age and wanted to learn how to play the coronet. Bunk Jones became his mentor and taught Louis how to play the coronet by ear. Though Louis Armstrong had very little formal training in his early career as a musician, he still became very talented. Improvisation was one of the very difficult skills that he had and this was related to the fact that he learned first by ear.

3. Cigar Box Guitar

While Louis Armstrong was famous as a trumpeter, it was not his first instrument. It is said that his first instrument was actually a cigar box guitar. This instrument was improvised and would have taught him about music in general but wouldn't have helped him learn the trumpet.

Trumpeter and jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

4. Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Like many young children, Louis was interested in many things and would have seemed mischievous to many others. He was arrested and sent to Waif's Home for a year to be disciplined because he shot off an old 38. He may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he learned a lot from his detention.

5. Joe Oliver

Armstrong's parents separated when he was only five years old, after which he went to live with his grandparents. Joe Oliver really acted as Armstrong's father and gave him his first trumpet. He taught him about discipline and inspired him to continue his music.

6. Marrying His High School Sweetheart

Daisy Parker was Louis Armstrong's childhood sweetheart and they got married. Despite having grown up together, their marriage didn't last long and they were divorced shortly they married.

7. Hello Dolly and What a Wonderful World

Louis Armstrong's two biggest hits were Hello Dolly and What a Wonderful World. Hello Dolly was a hit everywhere. Many people don't know that Hello Dolly knocked the Beatles off the top of the charts.

8. Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra

Armstrong formed a band that would take the name Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra. They stayed together for a long time and toured for 10 years after they changed the name of their band. It is uncommon to find a band, especially a jazz band, that stays together this long.

9. Traveling the World

Louis Armstrong and his band were, of course, very popular in the U.S., especially in New Orleans; they were also popular throughout the world. They traveled all over the world, playing in places like South America, Africa and Europe.

10. Satchmo

Armstrong's nickname, Satchmo, came from an earlier nickname, Satchelmouth. He was called this because of the shape his face and cheeks made while he was playing the trumpet. Basically, his cheeks puffed out and it made it look like his mouth could hold anything, like a satchel.

Photo courtesy of www.free-stock-photo.com.

Marlon Brando was one of the most notable actors of the mid-twentieth century era and his career lasted more than half a century, producing many different movies. He established himself as one of the best actors of all time with his roles in Julius Caesar, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Godfather.


1. Playing Marc Antony in Julius Caesar

While Marlon Brando was famous for many of his films, one of his best known roles was that of Marc Antony in the 1953 film Julius Caesar', which earned him his third Oscar nomination. He played alongside Louis Calhern who played the role of Julius Caesar.

2. Best Supporting Actor Oscar

Brando received many awards over the course of his career, perhaps the most notable being his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the film Viva Zapata! He had previously been nominated for Best Actor but lost to Gary Cooper for High Noon in 1952. The movie Viva Zapata! was about the Mexican Revolution and the revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata.

2. The Godfather

One of the most notable movies that Marlon Brando starred in was the 1972 film The Godfather, in which he played the role of , the head of the Corleone mafia family living in New York. Al Pacino played alongside him as his son, Michael. An interesting fact about the movie is that he is holding a cat in the very first scene of the movie. The movie is considered a classic and a masterpiece by almost every film critic and is certainly one of the most well known, widely acclaimed movies of all time.

A legend in American cinema.

4. Jor-El

Marlon Brando played the role of Jor-El in the original Superman movie in 1978. Jor-El, Superman's father, appears at the beginning of the film.

5. "I coulda been a contanda"

The oft quoted line 'I coulda been a contanda' is a line from the movie On the Waterfront, in which Marlon Brando plays Terry Malloy, a washed up ex-boxer. This is one of the most famous lines of all time and is often quoted in movies and on TV shows. Most actors who say the line now mimic the way that Brando said it in the original movie.

6. Brando's 1st Movie

Marlon Brando's first movie, called The Men, was released in 1950. He played Ken who was a war veteran confined to a wheelchair. Fred Zimmerman directed the movie and Teresa Wright co-stars with Brando as Ellen, his wife.

7. Viva Zapata!

Marlon Brando was associated with John Huston in the film Viva Zapata! The film was an adaptation of John Steinbeck's book and Edgcumb Pichon's Zapata the Unconquered. He was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in this film.

8. A Street Car Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire was another of the very famous Brando movie. The 1951 movie was directed by Elie Kazan and starred Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois. Brando's first five films established him as one of the premier actors of his time and put his career on a solid path that would span his life.

9. "Stellllaaa!"

Stanley is married to Stella Kowalski, who is the sister of the main character, Blanche DuBois. All kinds of problems plague the family and they have to learn to cope with the problems. One famous line from the movie is when the name Stella is shouted "Stellllaaa!"

10. Inclusion in the Time 100

Marlon Brando, long considered one of the most important people of all time, is included in the TIME 100, which is made up of 100 people who are considered to be the most influential people over the last 100 years.

Rachel Carson was a noted marine biologist and made many contributions to the field. She was also very concerned about the environment and things that people were doing to harm it. The environmental movement was started by Carson and is still gaining momentum today.

1. Marine Biologist

Rachel Carson was best known as a marine biologist. She started her career as a marine biologist at the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries and was respected by many experts in her field.

2. The Sea Around Us

Carson was also a prolific writer, having written many different works about the world, nature and animals. She was a skilled nature writer and has been credited with starting the environmental movement. Rachel became a full-time writer in the 1950's. One of her most praised books, the bestseller The Sea Around Us, garnered her not only financial security but also recognition as a gifted and talented writer.

3. Trilogy of Books, Best Sellers All

Rachel Carson wrote a trilogy of books, bestsellers all, which won her a reputation as a knowledgeable scientist and as a great author. The first book was Under the Sea - Wind (1941), followed by The Sea Around Us (1952) and The Edge of the Sea (1955). These three books described ocean life from the deepest parts of the sea to the sandy beaches and coastlines.

Rachel Carson, author, conservationist and envirnomentalist.

In the 1950s, Rachel Carson turned her attention to the conservation movement. One of the greatest things about Carson's involvement in the conservation movement was the mass exposure she garnered for it with mainstream Americans, attention the conservation movement might not have gotten without the care of Rachel Carson.

5. Silent Spring

Carson published a book, entitled Silent Spring, in 1962, which outlined the problems associated with synthetic pesticides and what kinds of damage they caused the environment. The work called for a reversal in national pesticide policy and also helped establish the nationwide ban on several pesticides, including DDT, which was said to be one of the most volatile.

6. Creation of the Environmental Protection Agency

Many people credit the efforts of Carson and the books that she wrote for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. The movement that was begun by Carson led to its creation and ensured that there would be people who would support the agency and try to repair the damage done to nature by people.

7. Growing Up on a Small Farm

Many say that her birth and upbringing on a small family farm in Pennsylvania contributed to her fascination with nature and animals which, in turn, led her to study the things she learned about and to do the things she did. Her mother taught her many things about ponds, fields and the forests around the farm which inspired Rachel to continue learning.

8. Avid Reader

Rachel Carson was also an avid reader and a very good student. She loved books, especially books about nature so it was only natural that she would write. It was a way for her to express herself and also helped her gain a greater understanding of her subject.

9. A Loner and a Hermit

Carson wasn't always popular and would have been considered by her classmates to be a loner and a hermit. She wasn't disliked and hated by other students she just kept to herself. This was true of high school as well as Pennsylvania College for Women, now Chatham University. Her original major in college was English, but she changed to biology in 1928.

10. Career as a Writer

Rachel Carson's first article was published when she was only 19 years old. She began her career as a writer very early and got a lot of attention throughout her life for her writing.

One of the world's most well-known paleoanthropologists and conservationists, Richard Leakey made significant contributions not only to his fields of study but also to politics and research in Kenya.

1. Born in Nairobi, Kenya

Richard Leakey was born in Nairobi, Kenya a few days before Christmas in 1944. His father, Louis Leakey, was a curator at the Croyndon Musuem and his mother, Mary, was the Director of Excavations at Olduvai. Both of his parents were archaeologists and were very important and influential in the community where they lived.

2. Love of Horseback Riding

Richard and his brothers were all involved with horse jumping and the steeplechase competitions. Leakey and his brothers, Jonathan and Phillip, were members of the Pony Club and loved horseback riding. They liked to ride on horseback and would often spend time riding across the plains to the Ngong Hills looking for animals. When Richard was 11, he fell off his horse and fractured his skull. Though the injury was so traumatic that he almost died, he did eventually recover.

3. Growing Up With Pets

Pets were very important at the Leakey house in Richard's childhood. His parents started the Dalmatian Club of East Africa and won a prize in 1957 for their contributions to the animal society. Dogs were only one of the many different animals which could be found at the Leakey home.

Richard Leakey, Kenyan politician and paleoanthropologist.

4. Denied a Formal Education

Richard's schooling got off to a difficult start. While he was attending the Duke of York Secondary School, he made some political comments about racial equality that got him locked up in a cage by the other students who then spit on him and abused him. Richard was basically denied a formal education and he often skipped class and worked on a business he had started selling animals to be photographed. At age 16 he quit school and his parents gave him the option of returning to school or supporting himself, which he eventually chose to do.

5. Entrepreneur

As a teenager, Richard Leakey decided to go into business for himself and got into the trapping and skeleton supply business. He was already skilled in many different areas including horseback riding, mechanics and archaeology. He learned to identify bones and his combined skill set pointed him in a direction that he didn't necessarily want to go because his father was an archaeologist.

6. Lake Natron

Lake Natron became one of Richard's first significant archaeological sites; he also met his future wife, Margaret Cropper there while on a second expedition in 1964. When Margaret decided to go back to England, Richard went too. He studied, got his degree and got to know Margaret better. They were married in 1965 and returned to Kenya.

7. Discovery of Homo Sapiens

Richard didn't agree with his father, Louis, very often and Louis sent Richard on an expedition to the Omo River. There were a few other parties there including French and American archaeologists. While the Kenyan contingency, led by Richard, was crossing the river, their boat was practically destroyed by a crocodile attack and they barely escaped with their lives. While they were on site, they discovered a fossil which turned out to be Homo sapiens. It was the oldest of the species that had been found at the time and was estimated to be 160,000 years old.

8. National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society became involved with the expeditions that Richard was on and they often supplied him with money and financed his digs. He received $25,000 to work on the Koobi Fora site. As he felt he was being undermined by other college graduates at other digs and wanted to be in control at his own dig, he only hired graduate students to help him and Margaret.

9. Dig in West Turkana

West Turkana was an especially significant site for Richard and his team. There, he discovered an almost complete skeleton of a 12 year old Homo erectus who died approximately 1.6 million years earlier and named the find Turkana Boy.

10. The Safina Party

Richard became more heavily involved with politics in 1995 as he joined a group of Kenyans who launched the Safina Party. The party was only approved to become an official political party in 1997.

Rockets play a bigger part in many people's lives than you may think and one of the foremost pioneers in the rocket propulsion field is Robert Goddard. He made many significant contributions to the field and is honored the world over for his scientific genius.

1. Father of Rocket Propulsion

Goddard is called the father of rocket propulsion. He had a vision for the exploration of space along with several other scientists and made a career of doing the things that were needed to make that possibility a reality. He was a genius in the physics field and was an inventor.

2. First Successful Liquid Fueled Rocket

Goddard constructed the first successfully tested rocket was in 1926 using liquid fuel. The rocket was launched in March of that year and was certainly a very significant feat in the progression towards having the real possibility of going into space. Many people have said that this event was just as important as the first airplane flight in Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers. But this event was only the beginning of his long and significant career.

3. U.S. Navy

The government wasn't always impressed by Goddard's rockets so it was difficult at times for him to secure financing and time to work on the things that were the most important to him. Though the government didn't always give Goddard the attention and funding he wanted, he worked for the U.S. Navy in both World Wars.

Robert Goddard, scientist and inventor.

Goddard was awarded two patents for his inventions in 1914. One of the patents was for a rocket that was liquid fuel-propelled and the other one was for a two or three stage rocket that used solid fuel. Goddard conducted periodic propulsion studies testing various materials including gun powder, often at his own expense.

5. Smithsonian Institute

He frequently requested funding from the Smithsonian Institute for his studies and projects. They gave him more funding than any other government entity. He was quite well connected with several people at the Institute which may have helped his quest for funding easier compared with other agencies.

6. Writing Treatises

He also wrote several treatises detailing his study methods. He was interested in the weather's affect on the possibility of launching rockets higher than weather balloons could reach. He also included some of his mathematical theories about rocket propulsion in these papers.

7. Mission to the Moon

He wrote papers on the feasibility of actually conducting a mission to the moon. He even suggested having a rocket explode with a load of flash powder when it reached the moon to indicate to everyone on earth that it had arrived. The media started to pick at his ideas and dispute whether it was really possible for anyone to ever reach the moon on a rocket. All the negative publicity that he got probably led to the negative feelings he had about the press for the rest of his life.

8. Creative Science and Practical Engineering

Many people say that Goddard was one of the first scientists to realize how the possibility of missiles and rockets could influence the future of the world and worked directly in bringing them to fruition. He had skill in creative science and practical engineering which made him a very bright mind in the field.

9. Beginning of the Space Age

The discoveries and many efforts of Goddard went unrecognized in the United States until the beginning of what we call the space age. Robert Goddard was given very significant honors and gained wide appeal when the space age programs created. In 1959, Congress issued a gold medal of honor to Professor Goddard for his research and developments.

10. Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA created a major space science laboratory and called it the Goddard Space Flight Center. It was built and established in May of 1959 in the honor of Robert Goddard. He received many other honors throughout his life, although many of them didn't come until he was near the end of his career.

James Watt, one of the most well-known names of the Industrial Revolution, is credited with some of the most important ideas that lead to inventions of the modern age. He built the first steam engine that could be used for industrial purposes and helped develop engines that run on steam to be used for many different things.

1. Improvements on the Steam Engine

The Industrial Revolution was a time of great thinking and dramatic change in a short amount of time. While it wasn't Watt who first invented the steam engine, he improved it to the point that it could actually be used in daily activities. Watt made improvements to the steam engine which made it much more versatile and gave it a much higher capacity.

2. Born in Greenock, Scotland

Watt was born in 1736 in Greenock, Scotland and lived there for many years. He worked as a mathematical instrument maker beginning when he was 19 years old and then started gaining interest in improving the steam engine. The steam engine was actually invented by Thomas Savery and Thomas Newcomen, but Watt made significant improvements to the engine.

3. First Patent

Watt started studying the properties of steam and realized that the current design of the steam engine was extremely inefficient and that lots of the energy from the steam was lost in the process. He determined that it would be better to have the steam condensed in a separate chamber from the cylinder. Watt's first patent on this new design was awarded in 1769 and he became a legend soon after. His patent included providing ways to keep the internal parts of the engine very hot to ensure that the energy of the steam wasn't lost in the process.

James Watt, inventor and entrepreneur

4. Partnering with John Roebuck

Watt worked as a partner with another British inventor, John Roebuck. Roebuck helped finance Watt's efforts but soon lost interest in his work. Roebuck took more interest in Matthew Boulton, the owner of Soho Engineering Works.

5. Many Important Inventions

Watt patented the improved steam engine but was also the owner of patents on several other very important inventions. He also developed the rotary engine that was used in many different applications. His inventions included the double action engine which injected steam into both ends of the cylinder to make it more efficient. Watt retired from his position at his company and devoted himself entirely to researching after 1800.

6. The Watt

The watt, which is a common unit of measurement in electrical and mechanical power, was named after Watt. Most electrical devices used today have capacity measured in watts. This is particularly true of devices which emit sound.

7. Noted Civil Engineer

Watt was also a noted civil engineer. His contributions to making several surveys of canal routes were also very significant. His life was devoted to education and he was always looking for new ways to improve upon inventions that were already being used by other people. Despite the fact that he didn't actually invent the steam engine, his contributions to the industry and to the Industrial Revolution were still very significant.

8. Sharing His Ideas

Watt was known to be very enthusiastic about inventing and was always excited to share the ideas he had with other people. He believed that everything could be improved upon. This is one of the most important ideas of entrepreneurship and Watt is considered one of the first true entrepreneurs.

9. Many Honors

Watts was given many honors in his life and was a very important public figure. He was a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and also the Royal Society of London. He was also one of only 8 foreign associates admitted into the French Academy of Sciences.

10. Homage to Watt

Many monuments in Scotland remember and pay homage to Watt. The James Watt Memorial Library is in Greenock and several streets are also named after him.

Johann Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and printer, is credited with being the first European to use movable type printing. In 1439, he became the global inventor of the mechanical printing press. He also produced the Gutenberg Bible.

1. Movable Type Printing

Gutenberg is given credit for inventing the first press capable of mass-producing movable type using oil-based ink on wooden printing presses. Gutenberg came up with a printing system that was unique. The process of moveable type printing was actually more complicated than even early historians believed. However complicated, it was a vast improvement over handwriting manuscripts, as was done prior to the invention of the press. European bookmaking was revolutionized and printing innovations would spread rapidly throughout Europe.

2. Honors and Awards

Gutenberg remains a pivotal figure in world history whose inventions have changed the world. In 1999, the A&E Network ranked Gutenberg #1 on their "People of the Millennium" countdown. In 1997, Time-Life magazine picked Gutenberg's printing press as the most important invention of the second millennium.

3. Being Sued

Gutenberg was not a wealthy man nor did he have a steady source of income, so he borrowed the money that he needed to come up with his press. Gutenberg used borrowed funds for the printing of his Bible project. Gutenberg was sued by his lender and ended up virtually bankrupt. The man who sued Gutenberg then became the first European shop to print their name on the books that they made with the press.

Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the moveable press.

4. Exiled

Gutenberg was exiled after having a heated argument with two archbishops. While living in exile, he supervised the building of a new printing press belonging to the brothers Bechtermünze. He also worked on printing some books of his own though how many were his own is unknown because he did not always include his name on the book.

5. A New Title

In January 1465, Gutenberg's achievements were recognized and he was given the title Hofmann (gentleman of the court) by von Nassau. With this honor came some benefits. As a gentleman of the court, he was awarded a stipend which he used to support himself and to travel.

6. Attention to Detail

Gutenberg paid close attention to detail when using his press, especially when it came to the printing of his Bibles. His Bibles were so beautifully created that they sold for an amount that equaled roughly three years' wages for an average clerk.

7. How The Press Worked

Gutenberg's press worked by first hammering a hard metal punch (with the letter carved back to front) into soft metal copper. This makes what is called a mold or matrix. This is then placed into a holder, and cast by filling the mold with hot metal, which cooled down to create a piece of type. The matrix can now be reused to create hundreds of identical letters. Because the letters can be used in any combination the type is called moveable.

8. Other Hypothesis About The Press' Origins

Historians have examined papers that were said to have been copied on a Gutenberg press to determine if, in fact, Gutenberg was using the materials that history tells us that he used. There have been some disagreements regarding their findings and therefore there are those who claim that Gutenberg could not have been the inventor of moveable type printing or it would have been used in specific methods on certain documents including his own Gutenberg Bible.

9. Financially Unsuccessful in His Lifetime

Although Gutenberg was never monetarily rewarded for his innovations during his lifetime, the invention of his press was a huge contributor to the Renaissance and a catalyst for the scientific revolution. Printing technologies allowed for news and books to travel across Europe much faster than before.

10. Gutenberg's Historical Impact

Without Gutenberg's press, Christopher Columbus would not have had the geographical book (printed by movable types) that inspired him to explore, Martin Luther would not have had his 95 Thesis circulated and broadsheet news would never have evolved in to newspapers, the first form of mass media publishing.

George Washington was the first President of the United States of America and a champion for the people during the Revolutionary War against England. He was a man of principle and will always hold an important, highly regarded place in American History.

1. People Should Be Their Own Masters

George Washington believed that people should be their own masters, that they would accomplish more and live better lives as well with liberty as opposed to doing without. As an interesting side note, Washington was the only Founding Father who freed his slaves and favor of their freedom.

2. President Before the White House Was Built

He became president before the White House was built and was the only president who didn't live in Washington D.C. There are many different cities, town, and streets that are named after Washington. The nation's capital, 31 counties and 17 cities are named after him.

3. Surveyor and Planter

Long before he got into politics, George Washington was a surveyor and planter. He introduced the mule, a crossbreed between a male donkey and a female horse, to American agriculture. Washington also grew marijuana on his farm to help stabilize the soil and to promote the industrial value it had as hemp.

George Washington, 1st President of the United States

The way that presidents are elected was a very important issue during the time of the 13 original colonies and the founding of the nation. The founding fathers wanted to ensure that the election processes were just and that the people were able to choose. Washington was the only president to ever be elected by a unanimous vote in the Electoral College. It is also doubtful that this will ever happen again.

5. Shortest Inauguration Speech Ever

George Washington served two terms as president. The inauguration speech before a president takes office is very important and is viewed as a historical event. Washington's second inauguration speech was the shortest ever given at only 135 words long. He was known for being a great inspiration to many people even with his short speech.

6. General of the Armies of Congress

George Washington commanded the Continental Army and was a four-star general in his military career. After his death and on the order of Gerald Ford, Washington became the General of the Armies of Congress. Ford believed that the first president of the nation should also be the holder of the highest military position.

7. The Only Title That Has Remained The Same

Governments worldwide have changed since the election of George Washington. When he was elected, there was a king in France, an emperor in China, a shogun in Japan and a czarina in Russia. The political structures of all these nations have changed since Washington was president and the only title that still remains is that of president.

8. 1st President on a Postage Stamp

Washington was the first president to ever appear on a postage stamp. He is also printed on the one dollar bill, which is the most commonly looked at and used bill of American currency.

9. Famous Relatives

Washington was related to several other very important people in world history. He was a half first cousin to James Madison who was also a very important American Revolution. He was also a second cousin seven times removed from Queen Elizabeth II and an eighth cousin six times removed from Winston Churchill.

10. Dentures

Washington had very few teeth and didn't have dentures at the time of his first inauguration. At other times in his life, he wore dentures made of human teeth, ivory and even lead.

Genghis Khan, probably the most famous Mongol, was known for his terrorizing ways and for ruling a very large part of the world. As at one point almost all of Asia was dominated by his rule, Khan will be remembered historically as a very influential person.

1. World's Largest Contiguous Empire

Khan was, of course, known for creating the world's largest contiguous empire in history. He used his incredible charisma and personal charm to gain many followers and to keep those supporters loyal to him. He unified all of the different Mongol people and also founded the Mongol nation.

2. Universal Ruler

Genghis Khan assumed his name after the Mongolian Empire was created, about 1187. The translation of the title means Universal Ruler and was an expression of his position and desire to rule over many people.

3. Ruler of the Mongol People

Genghis Khan was proclaimed the ruler of all the Mongol people by a gathering of Mongol princes after the death of Jamuka who was a childhood friend of Khan. After Khan defeated Jamuka, many of Jamuka's previous followers proclaimed their allegiance to Khan. Jamuka passed away in 1206 after which Khan was proclaimed the ruler of all the Mongols.

Genghis Khen, emperor of the Mongolian Empire.

Whenever Khan decided that he wanted to take over a nation or region, he was able to quickly bring them into subjugation and to rule over them. One example was his siege of the Jin Dynasty in 1211. He took control of the dynasty less than a year after beginning the siege, bringing the people came under his rule. A peace agreement was made with the emperor whom Khan later forced to flee.

5. Expansion of the Mongol Empire

Khan's expansion of the Mongol empire toward Central Asia continued through the year 1221 and reached as far as what is now known as Iran, Afghanistan and southern Russia. The empire, the second largest in history, was larger than both the Roman Empire and that of Alexander the Great.

6. Legends

There were many legends that surrounded the life of Genghis Khan. It was said that he was born with a clot of blood in his hand which was a sign that he was destined to become a conqueror of other nations. In 1226, he was planning an attack against the Jin forces, however they had tried to revolt and died while planning for the continued attack.

7. Ruthless Warrior and Leader

Khan was known as a ruthless warrior and leader. When he defeated the Tartar nation, he ordered that everyone taller than a cart handle be executed so that loyalty could be maintained in the rising generation. The Mongol forces were able to expand their empire so quickly because they gave only two choices to those who were defeated: death or allegiance to the Mongol nation.

8. Patrillineal Descendents

Genghis Khan also contributes a great deal to the overall population of the world. Recent scientific studies have showed that his direct patrilineal descendants constitute about 8% of men in Asia. This equates to about .5% of the entire world population.

9. British Empire

The only empire that became larger than the empire founded by Khan was the British Empire in the period of international colonization.

10. Temujin

Khan was born in north central Mongolia. He was named, Temujin, after a Tartar chieftain that his father, Yesikhei took captive and took control over the area he ruled. He was a member of the Borjigin tribe and was also a descendant of Khabul Khan, who united the Mongols in the Jin Dynasty of Northern China.

Galileo was an Italian physicist and astronomer who made many significant contributions to the scientific revolution, which were namely in astronomy, the use of the telescope to view heavenly bodies.

1. Telescope

Galileo was able to create a telescope that magnified an object ten times. He gave this telescope to naval and maritime operations. Galileo then built a telescope with 20 times magnification. He also saw that the Milky Way was composed of stars, discovered four satellites circling Jupiter and discovered mountains and valleys on the moon.

2. Observations and Discoveries

Galileo was able to use the telescope to observe and discover sunspots, mountains and valleys on the Moon, the four largest satellites of Jupiter and the phases of Venus. Galileo also proved that since not all heavenly bodies rotated around the Earth there had to be another center that existed.

3. "The Starry Messenger"

Galileo 's "The Starry Messenger" was about his observations regarding planetary rotation around a center other than Earth as well as his observations about the moon and other planetary bodies.

Galileo, the Father of Science.

4. Physics

Galileo, using mathematical techniques, discovered the laws of falling bodies and the motions of projectiles known as physics. He studied and eventually became a professor of mathematics.

5. Pivotal Figure

In the age of Enlightenment, Galileo was a pivotal figure in the battle against authority for freedom of inquiry and discovery beyond traditional methods of learning and study.

6. Refuting Aristotle

Galileo refuted Aristotle's belief that speed of fall is proportional to the weight of the object. He proved his point by simultaneously dropping two objects of the same material but different
weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

7. Mathematics: The Language of Earth

Galileo's mathematical work was pivotal in uncovering and explaining familiar occurrences, such as the free fall of an object to the ground. Galileo believed that the Earth was not a mystery; we simply did not know what language that we needed to speak in order to understand our world. Galileo found that language in mathematics.

8. Many Important Discoveries

Galileo made many important discoveries in the first decade of the 17th century. In addition to proving that the acceleration of any body in free fall did not depend on its weight, he also discovered that "the distance traveled in free fall is proportional to the square of the time elapsed."

9. Precursor to Newton's 1st Law of Motion

Galileo believed that an object would move along the Earth's surface at the same speed, provided that object did not meet any resistance along its path. Galileo's idea was a precursor to Isaac Newton's first law of motion: an object in motion will stay in motion unless interfered with.

10. A Sincere Believer

Galileo is historically significant because he questioned Aristotle's theories and dared to challenge the thinkers of his day to free themselves from the restrictions of traditional methods of thinking and instead develop a scientific method that was all about observation and the formation of new theories and ideas. Galileo faced a lot of criticism because of his beliefs and was even tried for challenging old ways. However, years later a more enlightened people see and appreciate Galileo's willingness to speak up and challenge the status quo. Even Pope John Paul II had strong feelings about Galileo's views, describing Galileo as "a sincere believer, [who] showed himself to be more perceptive in this regard than the theologians who opposed him."

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, funded by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. His goal was to find a better route to India and the spice trade. Columbus made a total of four trips to the Caribbean and South America during the years 1492-1504.

1. Columbus's First Trip

On Columbus's first trip, he had three ships in his expedition: La Niña, La Pinta and Santa Maria, which Columbus captained. Columbus sailed with a crew of about 90 sailors. On this trip, they spotted the Caribbean Islands and landed on an island that Columbus later renamed San Salvador. On that island were Taino Indians. Columbus's men captured some of these Indians and later sold them into slavery. While exploring, the men traveled to the islands of Hispaniola, known today as Haiti & the Dominican Republic, Cuba and many other smaller islands. On the return trip, the Santa Maria was wrecked and the captain of La Pinta sailed off on his own to try to beat Columbus back to Spain.

2. Columbus's Second Trip

Columbus's second trip was larger than the first. 17 ships and 1,200 to 1,500 crew members made the trip. Their goal was to find gold and capture Indians as slaves in the Indies. Columbus established a sailing base in Hispaniola. On this trip he also spotted and named the island of Dominica.

3. Columbus's Third Trip

On a third expedition Columbus sailed farther south, to Trinidad and Venezuela. It was on this trip that Columbus became the first European since the Viking Leif Ericsson to set foot on the mainland of America.

Christopher Columbus, discoverer of new lands.

4. Columbus's Fourth Trip

On his fourth and final expedition Columbus sailed to Mexico, Honduras and Panama, in Central America and Santiago (Jamaica). Columbus was buried in eastern Hispaniola but his remains were moved to Seville, Spain, where they remain today. His goal was to search for the Strait of Malacca to the Indian Ocean. On this trip he was accompanied by his brother Bartolomeo and his 13-year-old son Fernando. Columbus spent two months exploring the coasts of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, before arriving in Panama. About two months later Columbus and his crew were hit by a storm so terrible that Columbus described his crew as "wanting for death." Following the storm Columbus sighted the Cayman Islands and named them "Las Tortugas" after the numerous sea turtles there. His ships next sustained more damage in a storm and for a year Columbus and his men remained stranded on Jamaica. The closest help was in Hispaniola but the governor there did not like Columbus and refused to help him. Eventually, Columbus was able to convince natives to help him and his crew and they were able to return to Spain.

5. European Awareness

Columbus's voyages brought general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. Columbus initiated widespread contact between Europeans and indigenous Americans.

6. Trade Routes and Colonies

Columbus's goal was to receive funding and employment from wealthy monarchs by finding better trade routes and establishing colonies along the way. Having securing employment from Queen Isabella of Spain, Columbus set out on his quest. Columbus grossly underestimated the circumference of the Earth and never accomplished the initial goals of positioning Spain productively in the price trade.

7. Columbus Day

The anniversary of Columbus's 1492 landing in the Americas is observed as Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. In Spain, Columbus Day is celebrated on October 12.

8. Funding

Columbus spent a great deal of time presenting plans and proposals in order to receive funding for his trips. Prior to receiving funding from the Spanish monarch his proposals were rejected because experts believed that he was grossly underestimating the distances that he would have to travel. When the king and queen of Spain gave Columbus the go ahead they also agreed to making his the "Admiral of the Seas" and allowing him to receive a portion of all profits. His son would later write that the monarchs were more generous than usual because did not really expect him to return.

9. Governorship

Columbus's stint as governor and viceroy of the establishments that he discovered was physically and mentally draining. Following complaints that he was a tyrannical leader he asked the Court of Spain to appoint a royal commissioner to help him govern.

10. Religion

Columbus became a religious man, stating that he frequently heard voices and council from God.

Though he developed many theories while observing animal and plant species, Charles Darwin is best known for proposing the theory of natural selection. His pivotal work is "On the Origin of Species".

1. Schooling

Darwin was initially a medical student at Edinburgh University, though he eventually decided to pursue the study of marine invertebrates instead, before leaving there and entering the University of Cambridge. In 1831, Darwin graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in theology.

2. HMS Beagle

The HMS Beagle, captained by Robert FitzRoy, was the ship that carried Darwin around the world for five years, cataloging, researching and reporting on marine life, new insect species and the like. As a naturalist, he published a number of notebooks containing detailed notes on the observations that he made of animal and plant life.

3. Introducing Natural Selection

Before publishing his pivotal work, Darwin published an introductory paper on the theory of natural selection. The paper was first introduced to Linnaean Society, a scientific organization.

Charles Darwin, author and naturalist.

"On the Origin of Species" was published in 1859 and contained his complete theory of natural selection. The full title was, "On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life." It was published nearly 20 years after his Beagle voyage.

5. "Survival of the Fittest

Darwin's theory of natural selection has paraphrased to "survival of the fittest", though Darwin did not come up with this phrase. Herbert Spencer coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" and extended Darwin's theory of natural selection into the realm of sociology, ethics and economics.

6. Descendants of Apes

In 1871, Darwin published his next work, "The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex", where he stated that humans are descendants of apes.

7. "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals"

Darwin published, "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals," in 1872.

8. Unpopular Beliefs and Theories

Many were unhappy with what Darwin's theories were implying because, at the time of Darwin's publications, most people believed that species were eternally unchanging. The proposed change due to natural selection contradicted orthodox theological opinion. The implication that humans had evolved just like every other species in the animal kingdom was unpopular among religious leaders.

9. The Beagle Voyage

Darwin's participation in the Beagle voyage was instrumental if not the sole cause for his derivation of the theory of natural selection. Interestingly enough, there were many different factors that could have prevented him from going on that trip at all. First, his father prohibited him from taking the trip for fear that Darwin would be lead away from a future in the clergy. Secondly, he was almost denied the privileged of being selected to accompany the captain in the Beagle trip and was only offered the trip after Captain FitzRoy's 1st choice declined the trip.

10. Robert FitzRoy

Robert FitzRoy was the captain of the HMS Beagle. He and Darwin, became close friends and on Darwin's 25th birthday, February 12, 1834, Captain FitzRoy named a mountain after Darwin. The mountain is the highest peak in Tierra del Fuego. Darwin also had three other mountains named after him in California, Tasmania and Antarctica.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has composed some of the most inspirational music of all time and many people know his music by heart because it is so prevalent in our current society. Classical music is found in movie soundtracks and acts as inspiration for many other songs.

1. Musical Family

Mozart was born in January 27, 1756 and died December 5, 1791. He lived during the Enlightenment in Europe and was a very important figure in the artistic world during his time. Like many composers of the time, his family was also very musical and he performed concerts throughout Europe with his father and sister from 1762 until 1768.

2. Honorary Concertmaster

Religious music was very important during the time of Mozart and he was named honorary concertmaster for the archbishop of Salzburg. He held this position from 1769 until 1781, ten years before he passed away.

3. Playing and Composing at Age 6

Like many musicians and composers that are considered virtuosos, Mozart started playing and composing music at the age of six and he was already a budding musical genius at that time. His father, Leopold, was also a famous composer and violinist.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, musical genius.

4. Last of Seven Children

Mozart came from a very large family by today's standards though the family really wasn't very large for long. He was the last of seven child born to his parents and one of only two who survived. The fourth child, Maria Anna Walburga Ingatia, was other survivor. Mozart's full name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Many people wonder about the origin of his chosen middle name, Amadeus.

5. The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute, his last composition, was also one of his most famous. After he composed the music, he became ill and died in Vienna in 1791. He was only 36 years old when he passed away and we can only wonder what other masterpieces he would have composed had he lived a longer life. Many researchers speculate that kidney failure caused Mozart's death.

6. Composer

Mozart wrote many different kinds of music which required great skill and extensive knowledge about music and its composition. He also needed to know what made each genre of music unique. He composed concertos, operas, oratorios, quartets, symphonies, chamber music, as well as vocal and choral music. It was apparent that religion and the Church were very influential in his compositions which are still used for many different religious functions. During his short career, Mozart composed over 600 works, which was an amazing accomplishment.

7. Paternal Influence

Mozart was greatly influence by his father, Leopold, who, in turn, placed a lot of faith in Mozart and his musical abilities. It is said that at age 3, Mozart was already playing the piano and had perfect pitch.

8. Haydn's Influence

Mozart met many other composers on his travels and was influenced by them as well. Haydn, one of the composers, was an inspiration and good friend to Mozart.

9. Many Famous Works

Some of Mozart's most notable works include Commotion Mass, Sinfonia, Conertante, Idomeneo, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan tutte, and the Magic Flute.

10. Music in His Head

As any composer can attest, it is sometimes very difficult to get the different parts and instruments to mesh together well and that this process takes a great deal of time and patience. Mozart, it is rumored, was able to hear entire works of music inside his head before he put them on paper. Not only did this talent come more naturally to Mozart, it was also one of his strongest abilities.

Adam Smith may be the most famous economist and economic theorist of all time. His theories have influenced the way economic markets all over the world have functioned for many, many years. His theories will continue to be studied by students of economics, perhaps for centuries to come.

1. Teaching Logic

Adam Smith was well educated, having attended Glasgow and Oxford, two of the most prestigious schools in the world. He began teaching logic at the University of Glasgow in 1751, was promoted to chair of the moral philosophy in 1952 and wrote his Theory of Moral Sentiments, while there, in 1759. This paper established him on the international scene and helped him gain the reputation that he had throughout his life.

2. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations

Smith was known for his writings and the way that he communicated his theories in writing. In his best known work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Smith discussed the concept of the division of labor and said that value comes from the labor that it takes to produce something.


3. Rationalism

Rationalism, a very important concept during the time of Adam Smith, influenced his work. He believed that everything could be explained rationally, therefore there is was an explanation for everything. Another famous Smith concept is the Laissez-faire theory of economics, which says markets are best left to govern themselves.

Adam Smith, philospher, moralist, author.

Adam Smith believed that monopolies were bad for the economy because they disrupted the way things should actually function in markets. Although he was generally in favor of free markets, he believed that restrictions to free trade were sometimes necessary and could be used as economic weapons to reduce poverty. He also believed that it was sometimes necessary for the government to assist companies and industries.

5. Logical But Negated

As many of Smith's theories were written before or during the Industrial Revolution, various new methods of production negated some of his ideas. While they were still very logical and made sense under the previous system of production, some his ideas were discounted under the new system. Despite the changing economic scene, Smith's theories still influenced many economists for centuries and some of them are still applicable today.

6. Raised by His Mother

Adam Smith's, whose father died six months prior to his birth, was raised by his widowed mother, who encouraged her son to pursue his scholarly interests which, early on, included moral philosophy as well as his passion for liberty and free speech.

7. Moral Philosopher

Although Smith was best known for his theories on economics, he was also a morality philosopher and was very influential in that field as well. He put forth the idea that our moral feelings come from sympathy which is an innate trait in all people; this concept is also known as 'putting ourselves in their shoes'.

8. Lectures

When Adam Smith taught his lectures, he always divided the course into four fundamental ideas or segments: natural theology, ethics, jurisprudence and political regulations founded on expediency.

9. The Scottish Enlightenment

Smith expressed some of his ideas with the help of David Hume, who was also a noted philosopher in Britain and together they took part in what was called the Scottish Enlightenment.

10. Wealth of Nations

Smith has been praised and cursed by theorists all over the world and has been perhaps the most important name in economics since he wrote the Wealth of Nations. His theories have influenced the way nations have been formed and his ideas are at the heart of many governments and societies.