 |
I was born in 1743. I wrote the Declaration of Independence. As President of the United States, I was famous for the Louisiana Purchase. My home was in Monticello. My face is on the nickel and the $2 bill. I was a "rebel" that led America from British colonial status to a free country. Who am I? Thomas Jefferson (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
We were brothers with funny names. We were always fascinated by science. In our 20s, we spent years trying to build an airplane. On December 17, 1903, we successfully built and flew the first heavier-than-air machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. We were "rebels" who believed man could fly ... and then proved it! Who are we? Wilbur and Orville Wright (The Wright Brothers) (click here to learn more about us) |
 |
I was born in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. After World War I, I returned to the United States and became an advertising cartoonist. In 1928, I created the first sound cartoon "Steamboat Willie", starring a soon-to-be-famous mouse. I was a pioneer in creating animated movies. In 1955, I built a famous "magical" amusement park in California. I died in 1966, but was able to plan a new "World" of amusement and entertainment in Orlando, Florida, which opened 5 years after my death. I was a "rebel" who created family entertainment in ways never thought possible. Who am I? Walt Disney (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born as an Albanian. As a young girl in the late 1920s, I became a nun. In 1946 I began a life ministry in India. I served the poorest of the poor and loved those that society ignored. I won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 but didn't change. I was a "rebel" who was selfless in a world that was selfish. I died in 1997. Who am I? Mother Teresa (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. I was a Baptist minister. I fought racial segregation without using violence. I had a dream that one day people would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I was shot and killed in 1968 by someone who disagreed with my ideas. There is a national holiday in my honor. I was a "rebel" because I thought civil rights were for everyone, no matter what their race was. Who am I? Martin Luther King, Jr. (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was the first American to go into space. I was strapped in a Mercury capsule sitting on top of a Redstone rocket. I made history when I was launched into space on May 5, 1961, just 45 minutes after an even more important event -- the birth of Coach Rodney! I was the commander of the Apollo 14 mission and I walked on the moon. I even hit a golf ball on the moon! I was a "rebel" who put my life on the line to lead America into space exploration. Who am I? Alan Shepard (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was raised on the planet Tatooine. I led rebel forces against an Imperial Army and destroyed their Deathstar. I was the son of Darth Vader. I never had it easy as I struggled with understanding and using The Force. I was a "rebel" who challenged a mighty army and grew into a Jedi Knight. Who am I? Luke Skywalker (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
On April 15, 1947, I became the first black pro baseball player. I played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. I was named the Rookie of the Year and, a few years later, Most Valuable Player of the league. I died in 1972. I proved that in baseball, the only "race" that was important was the race to the base and the only purpose for "color" was to distinguish the teams' uniforms. I was a "rebel" who broke baseball's color barrier. Who am I? Jackie Robinson (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in Alabama in 1880. Before I was 2 years old, I got very sick. I became deaf and blind. My world seemed small. Five years later, a teacher named Anne Sullivan taught me to spell WATER. I continued to learn. I eventually graduated from college, even though I could not see and could not hear. As an adult, I wrote books, gave speeches, and fought for causes I believed in (like rights for the disabled). I was a "rebel" who was a learner and a leader, even though I had a tremendous disability. Who am I? Helen Keller (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in 1913. In Montgomery, Alabama (in 1955), I refused to give up my bus seat to a white man because I was tired. I was subsequently arrested. But I fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court -- and won! I have been called the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement". I was a "rebel" who thought I had as much right to use public transportation as anyone else. Who am I? Rosa Parks (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I lived thousands of years ago. As a child, I was raised by the leader of Egypt. As a man, I was called by God to free my fellow people from their slavery. God spoke to me in a burning bush and also gave me the 10 Commandments. I was a "rebel" who challenged a powerful leader to free slaves. Who am I? Moses (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I lived in the 1700s. I was a famous scientist, inventor, statesman, printer, philosopher, and economist. I invented many things, including bifocals, the odometer, the lightning rod, and the post office. I helped write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I even proposed daylight savings time. My picture is on the $100 bill. Most people would be proud to reach even one of my many achievements. I was a "rebel" because I helped America win independence, invented interesting ideas, and contributed to society in many different ways. Who am I? Benjamin Franklin (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in Germany in 1483. I became a monk, but I had differences with my church practices. So in 1517 I wrote down 95 reasons of dissatisfaction on paper and nailed them on the front door of the church in Wittenberg. I was a "rebel" who was a leader in the Christian Protestant movement. Who am I? Martin Luther (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was the only President of the Confederate States of America. My last home was called Beauvoir in Biloxi, Mississippi. I was a "rebel" who thought the states in the South should be a different country from the states in the North. Who am I? Jefferson Davis (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in 1869 in India. I thought that my Indian people were not treated fairly by the British leaders. I led non-violent protests to liberate my people. My country became independent from Great Britain in 1947. I was assassinated a year later. I was a "rebel" who used non-violent means to achieve success. Who am I? Mohandas Gandhi (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
Like Martin Luther King, Jr., I was a leader in working for civil rights. I was the lawyer who won the landmark court case "Brown v. the Board of Education". I was chosen as the first black Supreme Court Justice. On the Supreme Court, I led efforts to break the color barrier in education, transportation, and housing. I died in 1993 at the age of 85. I was a "rebel" who actively used my position as an attorney and judge to work for better civil rights. Who am I? Thurgood Marshall (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in 1931. I was an actor famous for my "rebel" roles, especially that of Jim Stark in 1955's "Rebel Without a Cause". I was considered the classic restless youth of the 1950s. I loved fast cars and motorcycles, but I died at age 24 in a highway traffic accident. I was a "rebel" both in the movies and in real life. Who am I? James Dean (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
I was born in Italy in 1564. I was a great mathematician, astronomer, and physicist. I invented the microscope and perfected the telescope. I proposed the theory that two items of inequal mass fall to the ground at the same speed. In 1612, I got in trouble with the church for supporting the Copernican theory that the Earth revolved around the Sun. I was a "rebel" because I proposed scientific hypotheses that seemed crazy at the time. Who am I? Galileo Galilei (click here to learn more about me) |
 |
We were two legends in the field of aviation. He was the first to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean in a plane. His plane was called the Spirit of St. Louis. He flew from New York City to Paris, France. He became an international hero in the 1920s. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She was the first woman to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In 1937, she tried to fly around the world, but disappeared (and probably crashed) somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. We were "rebels" who accomplished many feats in aviation. Who are we? Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart (click here to learn more about us) |
 |
In 1803, we began an expedition to explore the northwestern portion of the United States. We were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to trace the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean to determine the best route for commerce. We had a young Indian woman, Sacajawea, along as a guide. We spent 3 years on this famous expedition. We were "rebels" who gave 4 years of our lives to help America learn more about the land that would eventually become the western United States. Who were we? Lewis & Clark (click here to learn more about us) |
|
I am one of America's most famous inventors. I invented the electric light bulb. When I was born in 1847, no one had electricity. When I died in 1931, entire cities were lit. I also invented the motion picture and the phonograph (record player). If you've ever listened to music, watched a movie, or been in a lighted room, you have benefited from my work. I was creative and worked hard. I also had a positive attitude. After failing 10,000 times with a battery experiment, I said "Why, I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work". I was a "rebel" who was granted 1093 patents by the U.S. Patent Office because I constantly thought of ways to improve things. Who am I? Thomas Edison (click here to learn more about me) |
Want to Learn About More Famous Rebels? |
|
 |
CNN/Time presents interesting biographies on the 100 most important people of the 20th century. It includes a lot of "rebels" (some of which will appear in our contest!). This website includes sections on: |
