"100 Most Influential Americans Of All Time" - 10 I Do Not Know; Do You?
Here is a link to the full list of 100,
referenced in the following blog.
TheAtlanticMonthly
The December, 2006 issue of The Atlantic gives a list entitled "The 100 Most Influential Americans Of All Time". Of course it is highly subjective. Of course there is no claim for the list to be scientific or foolproof. It is simply the result of the balloting of ten historians. The top three are Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson; no problem with those picks.
As a minister, interesting to me are the religious figures included on the list. Number 8 is Martin Luther King Jr., surely deserving of such high ranking, and perhaps more a political than religious leader. Curiously, we have Joseph Smith at 52 and Brigham Young at 74. I question how these founders of a small religious sect, Mormonism, would be considered to be so influential upon America as a whole. At 86 is Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, a person of relatively negligible impact. And at 91 is Lyman Beecher, great abolitionist and father of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Where is D.L. Moody, the great 18th Century evangelist, or perhaps the most influential American evangelical of all time, Billy Graham? And if we are considering raw influence, then how about the founder of the Moral Majority and religious/political resurgence of the late 20th Century, Jerry Falwell?
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Now, I checked out all the names on the list, and came up with ten that I do not know. Can you recite something significant about these persons? Give it a try, and let me know. And, no fair clicking to an encyclopedia and then pretending to be knowledgeable! I'll give the rankings on the list, and then the names:
TEN "MOST INFLUENTIAL AMERICANS" THAT I DO NOT KNOW
(30) ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
(39) RACHEL CARSON
(46) WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON
(49) FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED
(61) SAMUEL GOMPERS
(64) JANE ADDAMS
(68) JAMES WATSON
(69) JAMES GORDON BENNETT
(81) MARGARET MEAD
(89) WALTER LIPPMAN
01.22.07 (9:45 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
almsthvn (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:14 pm)
Elizabeth Cady Stanton - women's rights movement
Samuel Gompers - labor movement
Margaret Mead - anthropologist
posted by:
SupremeAnna (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:33 pm)
Okay, I'll give it a try, but pardon my ignorance :)
FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED - did he design Central Park?
JANE ADDAMS - I think she did something with workhouses...orphans...in Chicago?
JAMES WATSON - ooh, I know this one. Big proponent of behavioral psychology, Baby Albet experiment, invented the coffee break for Maxwell's coffee company.
MARGARET MEAD - wrote "Coming of Age in Samoa", and that's all I know.
How did I do? Thanks for sharing this info :)
posted by:
musicalhair (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:51 pm)
As for Billy Graham or Jerry Falwell, maybe their counting the relatively short time of their influence when compared to the 200+ years of US history and not counting their continued or future influence, which for current figures seems unfair; but I guess technically they can't "cheat" the others out of their own potential resurgence.
As for Joseph Smith-- imagine if you're a Mormon and he wasn't on the list :^) , but maybe their factoring just how influential he is on those he influenced, and like the influence his influnece has on for example state of Utah. He is extremely influential on those he influences. I'm just trying to offer potential factors they were working with.
I knew Gompers, Mead, Carson, Lippmann, and should but can't remember why Garrison. Olmstead was in that movie "Stand By Me", no it was ... the New Battlestar Galactica, yeah that's it. :^)
I wish you had added a link, I guess I missed that issue as I usually pick it up.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:52 pm)
Reply to: SupremeAnna
Like I've stated, I plead stupid on these names. Out of 100, I am knowledgeable of about 80%, which I think is pretty good. You are doing rather well!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:53 pm)
Reply to: almsthvn
Pretty good. Three out of ten, in my grade book is good for a "B".
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (7:57 pm)
Reply to: musicalhair
I'm not sure you can access this article online. I'll certainly check to see. The local library has a fantastic assortment of magazines, and I am allowed to borrow back issues. So, every couple of weeks, I'll check out about a dozen and make an effort to read them as time permits. Atlantic is a favorite.
By the way, you left me a quite challenging comment on another blog that I intend to reply to, soon I hope. You're one of the more interesting bloggers around here- thanks for coming along.
posted by:
seochris (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (8:10 pm)
No idea at all. I only recognize the names of the ones you discussed in ur blog.
posted by:
SupremeAnna (
reply)
post date:
01.22.07 (8:39 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
Thanks, I think 80% is very good!
posted by:
69whisper (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (12:07 am)
I know none of them. poor public relationing on my part ;)
just a suggestion. can you please link each of them to a place which describes them the best?
posted by:
Lisa (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (5:24 am)
i only know of elizabeth cady stanton (womens rights/sufferage) and jane addams, who founded the hull house and was a big proponent of labor laws and such.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (6:24 am)
Reply to: 69whisper
Ah, but you are wanting me to put more effort into this blogging than I am willing to do. Finding and embedding links is troublesome and time-consuming, and I usually forego the task, which is probably one of the reasons why you are much higher in the "HotBlogs" list than myself. However, if I can find the actual list on the internet, I promise a link!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (6:27 am)
Reply to: Lisa
A weakness of mine, when it comes to historical figures, is my ignorance of important leaders in women's suffrage and feminism. It's not a subject of high interest, but for the sake of knowledge I really should study the matter more diligently.
You recognize 2 out of 10, so you are far ahead of me.
posted by:
musicalhair (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (8:03 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
Thanks for the kind words. I don't mean to put you on the spot over there in the other post, honestly I probably used to agree with you on like 90% or all of it. I just see it differently now.
After I commented, I figured it might not be up on line directly. At first when I saw you're post I thought it was a quiz to take. I don't have enough to do, so I was "down" for taking a quiz (and putting off my probability homework. Now my probability of being ready for my quiz on thursday is diminished, probably).
posted by:
inkspector (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (8:08 am)
(30) ELIZABETH CADY STANTON -- along with Susan B. Anthony, founded the Woman's Rights Movement (1848 till her death in the early 1900's). Note that Susan got on a coin although Elizabeth started the whole movement then Susan joined in but gets most credit over Elizabeth. Hard feelings developed between the two of them although they remained on friendly terms.
(39) RACHEL CARSON - environmental conservationist who wrote "Silent Spring" about the dangers and impact of businesses polutting the environment and affecting our daily health and well being.
(46) WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON - Journalist and social reformer, an abolitionist.
(49) FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED - famous around here -- a landscape architect that designed Fenway Park (Go Red Sox!), Central Park, Niagra Falls, and Biltmore Estates plus lots more.
(61) SAMUEL GOMPERS - American labor and political leader who focused on better wages and unity amoung the various craft unions. ("let's all work together" attitude/philosophy)
(64) JANE ADDAMS - social advocator, speaker, writer and founder of Hull House that provided social services to immigrants or the poor.
(68) JAMES WATSON - scientist and Nobel Prize winner. Founded the DNA Double Helix.
(69) JAMES GORDON BENNETT - publisher of the New York Herald (hence Herald Square). He inherited this from his dad.
(81) MARGARET MEAD - anthropologist and author
(89) WALTER LIPPMAN - journalist, media critic and philospher.
posted by:
midnightepicure (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (11:58 am)
I'm pretty sure samuel gompers was the leader of the knights of labor, the first labor union. if not the knights, then probably the afl-cio.
thats all i got.
posted by:
FinalyFree (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (7:21 pm)
Didn't CBS or some network do a special on this very list a short time ago?
posted by:
69whisper (
reply)
post date:
01.23.07 (11:37 pm)
thanx for the compliment, but if you ask me the hotblog ratings would be different. Thanx for the link and the time you spared to honor my request :)
posted by:
laydeepulse (
reply)
post date:
01.27.07 (11:07 am)
i knwo the first one. elizabeth cdy stanton......only from school, buuuuut......the other ones, i recognize, but i couldnt tell you why they are so influential
posted by:
swanktrendz (
reply)
post date:
02.04.07 (6:43 pm)
I am as curious as you as to how Joseph Smith and Brigham Young
both made the list, and ranked relatively high. I wonder what the criteria was behind the choices?
posted by:
swanktrendz (
reply)
post date:
02.04.07 (6:49 pm)
I looked throught he list and was surprised at how many of the names I was familiar with. Also, of the 10 you cited, I know of both ELIZABETH CADY STANTON and WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON (having written an essay on the latter) Sadly, I am Canadian and wonder how well I would do with 100 named Canadians as opposed to Americans?
posted by:
Vilyamth (
reply)
post date:
08.02.07 (8:47 pm)
Hello! great idea of color of this siyte!
posted by:
Nathanael (
reply)
post date:
12.31.07 (5:00 am)
Nice
