10 Greatest Americans

GoSeminoles! · Jun 28, 2005

These sorts of lists usually get dominated by presidents and military heros, thus making them predictable and boring. Let's have a go with this one: Who are your 10 greatest Americans excluding presidents and military heros? My list in no particular order:

1. Louis & Clark & Co. -- bold explorers who handled themselves and the people they met with dignity and decency. They even let the black guy in their party vote on key decisions. Sort of an early 19th century Star Trek.

2. Norman Borlaug -- I mentioned him in the other list. This agricultural scientist invented several crop hybrids and spent years introducing them to the 3rd world. When he won the 1970 Nobel Peace prize the committee estimated his efforts saved from starvation as many a billion lives. He's in his 80s now, working on GM crops.

3. Martin Luther King -- no explanation needed.

4. Ben Franklin -- no explanation needed.

5. Mark Twain -- no explanation needed.

6. James Watson -- co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule (with Brits Francis Crick and Rose Franklin).

7. Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins & whole Apollo 11 team -- no explanation needed.

8. George C. Marshall -- not for his service in the military, but for his service as Secretary of State. His Marshall Plan quite likely saved western Europe from communist domination.

9. Harriet Beacher Stowe -- no explanation needed.

10. Thomas Edison -- no explanation needed.

Honorable mentions: Wright brothers, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Stanton, Emily Dickenson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Albert Einstein (wasn't a natural US citizen and he did his best work prior to coming here).

Ittai2 · Jun 28, 2005

Again, no particular order...

1. Billy Graham
2. Walter Cronkite
3. George Washington Carver
4. Thomas Edison
5. Benjamin Franklin
6. Clara Barton
7. The Wright Brothers
8. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
9. Frederick Douglass
10. Harriet Tubman

Honorable Mentions-Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, John Steinbeck, Robert Frost, The Mercury 7 astronauts. Several others came to mind, but I didn't want the same 10 people to be on each list.
I will be happy to offer comments defending my choices, if anyone is interested or cares.

GoSeminoles! · Jun 28, 2005

Ittai2 said:
Again, no particular order...

2. Walter Cronkite

Why Walter? I like him just fine but would not think of him in the top 10.

Luciano · Jun 28, 2005

I'm a foreigner but that's my list (in no particular order):

Charles R. Drew.
George Washington Carver
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mark Twain
Sequoyah
Thomas Edison
Jorge Luis Borges
Emiliano Zapata
Paul Martin
My Texan fiancee

But it's pretty hard choosing only ten people.

Ciao
Luciano

Higher · Jun 28, 2005

I'll just go with one, John Boyd.

Ittai2 · Jun 28, 2005

While I don't agree with him politically, I have always respected the air of dignity Walter Cronkite brought to the field of journalism. For over 50 years he was a pioneer in bringing the news into living rooms across America. He was more than a "talking head" reading mind-numbing teleprompter scripts, he invested time in understanding his stories, so that we could better understand them. For over 50 years "And that's the way it is", and it was. Even after retirement he continues to contribute to education, science and humanitarian efforts. On a personal note, I always think of my late grandpa when I see him. Sorry to have gone on so long, but I could go longer.

stubby42 · Jun 28, 2005

Mark Twain -- no explanation needed.

Atcually I think there needs to be an explination, call me old fashioned but writing books isnt something that really makes someone a great american. I wouldnt put Charles Dickens on my list for greatest Brit though I respect his writing.

GoSeminoles! · Jun 28, 2005

stubby42 said:
Atcually I think there needs to be an explination, call me old fashioned but writing books isnt something that really makes someone a great american. I wouldnt put Charles Dickens on my list for greatest Brit though I respect his writing.

His books have contributed much to American culture. Huck Finn was a great illustration of the roles of religion, conditioning, courage, and conscience in the 19th century. I'm sure an Englishman would count Shakespeare on a list of great English. Twain is about the closest thing we have to WS on this side of the Atlantic.

Roman Soldier · Jun 28, 2005

Here are four greats off the top of my head.

Albert Einstein (a little predictable, but he was important)
Thomas Edison (although he was very arrogant)
Steven Spielburg
Woodrow, Burnstein, and W. Mark Felt.

Diane_Windsor · Jun 28, 2005

From the top of my head:

1. Lady Bird Johnson-behind every great man there is a great woman!
2. Nancy Reagan-behind every great man there is a great woman!
3. Helen Keller
4. Stephen F. Austin
5. Pat Morris Neff (President of Baylor and Governor of Texas)
6. Andrew Carnegie
7. Gloria Vanderbilt
8. Sacagawea
9. Tecumseh
10. Pocahontas

Diane

stubby42 · Jun 28, 2005

Albert Einstein (a little predictable, but he was important)

He was austrain.

His books have contributed much to American culture. Huck Finn was a great illustration of the roles of religion, conditioning, courage, and conscience in the 19th century. I'm sure an Englishman would count Shakespeare on a list of great English. Twain is about the closest thing we have to WS on this side of the Atlantic.

Fair enough, though in my personal oppinion I wouldnt put William shakespear on this list because I find his work to be dull and prentious, I feel he never really did anything to revolutionise writing instead just carrying on the greeks work.

dignitized · Jun 28, 2005

I picked my list, based on the impact the individual had on history and society both.

1 - General George Washington - Father of this country. Without his leadership and dedication there would be no America to have a list for.

2 - Abraham Lincoln - the great emancipator. He had the strength and convictions to do what was right even when it was not popular.

3 -Nikola Tesla - Inventor. With over 700 patented inventions to his name, he is one of the worlds most prolific inventors.

4 - Thomas Edison - Inventor. One of the few men who changed the world we lived in by the fruits of his mind.

5 - John Witherspoon - Founding Father and minister. Few people held as much influence on a generation of American thought or over a whole generation of statesmen as did the Reverend John Witherspoon.

6 - Clara Barton - Nurse, Founder of the American Red Cross. Her work changed battlefield medicine, advanced medicine in general, and of course the red cross is one of the great philanthropical organizations in the world still today.

7 - Elizabeth Ann Seton - teacher, religious. She was the first to offer free general education in the U.S.A.

8 - Thomas Jefferson - Author of the Declaration of Independence. While his writing was exemplary and he was wonderfully well education, Jefferson rode to town on someone elses horse as the saying goes. Most of the ideas he is commonly credited with were actually the work of other men.
REPLACEMENT: Daniel Boone - Pioneer and frontiersmen. He opened large tracks of the south centeral US to settlement and as well as served in the military and in congress. He is a legendary folk hero.

9 - George Washington Carver - inventor. So much that this man has invented is taken for granted.

10 - Theodore Roosevelt - rough rider, president. His policies not only expanded American influence, American territory, but he also created the National parks and reserves. REPLACEMENT: Daniel Webster - statesman. One of the greatest orators in American History.

Honorable mentions:

Jonathan Edwards

John Wesley

John D. Rockefeller

J. P. Morgan

Higher · Jun 28, 2005

I'm a little Surprised No one Else has Said Boyd... Look the man up, he practically defined modern warfare on his own. Without him, we (as in USA) would NOT be top dog militarily.

GoSeminoles! · Jun 29, 2005

Br. Max said:
I picked my list, based on the impact the individual had on history and society both.

1 - General George Washington - Father of this country. Without his leadership and dedication there would be no America to have a list for.

2 - Abraham Lincoln - the great emancipator. He had the strength and convictions to do what was right even when it was not popular.

Remember -- presidents and military heros don't count on this list. See the OP.

dignitized · Jun 29, 2005

GoSeminoles! said:
Remember -- presidents and military heros don't count on this list. See the OP.

I did not pick either because of their role as military leader or as president. I picked Washington for his role in the founding of this country and who he was as a person that allowed him to reject cries for him to be come king and to lay down power - something few men today would do. Further - washington as an individual person did much to influence and advance the formation of this nation.

Lincoln I chose for what he did of his own will. Born in poverty, he worked hard to advance himself without ever compromising his convictions standing true, strong and morally upright the whole time. Its his character that placed him on the list.

BTW - I noticed that you did not object to Jefferson or Roosevelt being my list. I'll consider who I will replace them with - but Washington and Lincoln have to stay.

Miss Spaulding · Jun 29, 2005

I'm not sure who the Ten Greatest Americans in book are yet, but here are a few whom I find great Americans.

George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
Booker T. Washington
Daniel Webster

dignitized · Jun 29, 2005

Ah YES - Danial webster. he goes in in place of Roosevelt.

ANd I'll put Daniel Boone in for Jefferson.

Roman Soldier · Jun 29, 2005

"Don't list Presidents or Military Leaders." What part of that are you having trouble understanding?

MikeMcK · Jun 29, 2005

I'm always surprised when John Jay and Benjamin Rush don't make the list.

Benjamin Rush was a little, ahem, eccentric, but he was a great friend of liberty.

Benjamin Franklin, of course, for securing the funding to fight the war and being a guiding, calming presence in among the Founders.

Milton Friedman. Brilliant economist. Friedman, along with Rose Wilder Lane, had a tremendous impact on my worldview as a young man.

Jim Bridger.

Others too numerous to mention.

skeptic86 · Jun 30, 2005

In no particular order,

Earl Warren, Thomas Jefferson (He's going to be on the list regardless of your OP), Ben Franklin, Clarence Darrow, Lucretia Mott, MLK Jr.

I'll come up with four more later...

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