Biography

Andrew Jackson was not plainly a common man or an aristocrat, in fact a combination of the two. He came into popularity on the frontier and was not of aristocratic decent he is often considered to be a common man. From the beginning of his career in Tennessee, he considered himself an aristocrat. As a … Read more

Alfred Tennyson was born at Somersby, Lincolnshire, August 6, 1809. He was the fourth of twelve children to George and Elizabeth (Fytche) Tennyson. Alfred Tennyson had a lifelong fear of mental illness. Several men in his family had a mild form of epilepsy, which in Tennysons time was thought to be a shameful disease. His … Read more

Born at Rostkovo near Prasnysz, Poland, about October 28, 1550; died at Rome during the night of 14-15 August, 1568. He entered the Society of Jesus at Rome, October 28, 1567, and is said to have foretold his death a few days before it occurred. His father, John Kostka, was a senator of the Kingdom … Read more

Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 11, 1922. After attending Cornell University from 1941-43 Vonnegut served in World War II and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. As a prisoner of war, he survived the fire bombing of Dresden by Allied forces on 13 February, 1945 in an underground meat-storage … Read more

The story of Eva Peron is a fascinating one. Evita, as she is known, enjoyed a rise to power like no other. The details of this ascension are often disputed, making Santa Evita’s tale all the more intriguing. . . Maria Eva Duarte was born on May 7, 1919,1 the fifth and youngest illegitimate child … Read more

Arthur C. Clarke was born in 1917 in Minehead, Somerset. His mother was Nora Clarke and his father was Charles Wright Clarke. He had two brothers, Frederick and Michael and one sister, Mary. There were many events that helped to shape him and his writing style. The first major event in his early life was … Read more

Herbert George Wells was born in 1866 in Bromley, Kent, a few miles from London, the son of a house-maid and gardener. Wells died in 1946, a wealthy and famous author, having seen science fiction become a recognized literary form and having seen the world realize some of science fiction’s fondest dreams and worst fears. … Read more

Mr. Potok has written scholarly and popular articles and reviews during his publishing career. Mr. Chaim Potok is a novelist, philosopher, historian, theologian, playwright, artist, and editor. All of Mr. Potok’s novels explore the tensions between Judaism and the modern society (Kaupunginkirasto). Chaim Potok was born in the Bronx, New York, on 17 February 1929, … Read more

Colonel T. E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a guerrilla leader in the Arab Revolt of 1916-18, which expelled the Turks from western Arabia and Syria during World War I. Lawrence was an aloof, complex, versatile, somewhat arrogant genius, and his exploits made him a popular, if enigmatic, hero in the Western world. … Read more

Muhammad Ali is one of the best, if not the best, boxers of all time. He was an influential leader not only inside the ring, but throughout the world. His overwhelming confidence captured millions, bringing the sport of boxing the publicity it has always deserved. Though many criticized his brash comments, he became a role … Read more

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940. As a teenager he grew up and learned to play the guitar very well. As he got into his late teens, he met Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. The Beatles became a huge hit in the UK, and on their first trip to the … Read more

John Locke (1632-1704) was born in Wrington, England to Puritan parents who fostered his education in theology and politics. He attended the Westminster school, and then entered Christ Church, Oxford, where he received a scholarship. Locke studied classical languages, metaphysics, logic, and rhetoric there. He developed friendships with Robert Boyle and Isaac Newton, both of … Read more

Gregor Mendel played a huge role in the underlying principles of genetic inheritance. Gregor was born, July 22 1822 in Heinzendorf, Austrian Silesia (now known as Hyncice, Czech Republic), with the name Johann Mendel. He changed his name to Gregor in 1843. He grew up in an Augustinian brotherhood and he learned agricultural training with … Read more

The year was 1925, and someone special was born. His birth name was Malcolm Little, however there were big things in store for this child. Born in Omaha, Nebraska. The seventh of eleven children born to Earl Little, an organizer for Marcus Garveys back-to-Africa movement (Comptons encyclopedia online). At age six Malcolms father was murdered. … Read more

John Pierpont Morgan is considered one of the founding fathers of the modern United States economy. He was an industrial genius that is accredited with the founding of many companies including General Electric and AT&T. However, Pierpont is looked upon as a saint and demon the same. He received a honorary degree from Harvard university … Read more

A French saint and a heroine in the Hundred Years’ war was Joan of Arc. This farm girl helped save the French from English command and was often called the Maid Orleans and the Maid of France. Her inspiration led the French to many victories. Joan Of Arc (In French Jeanne d’Arc) was born around … Read more

Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was the son of Robert Waring Darwin and his wife Susannah; and the grandson of the scientist Erasmus Darwin, and of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. His mother died when he was eight years old, and he was brought up by his sister. He was taught classics at Shrewsbury, … Read more

Alexander Hamilton was born as a British subject on the island of Nevis in the West Indies on the 11th of January 1755. His father was James Hamilton, a Scottish merchant of St. Christopher. His grandfather was Alexander Hamilton, of Grange, Lanarkshire. One of his great grandfathers was Sir R. Pollock, the Laird of Cambuskeith. … Read more

The life of the extremely talented artist, and brilliant scientist, Leonardo da Vinci began on the date of April 15, 1452 during the Renaissance; in the town of Vinci, Italy. His parents were Peiro da Vinci, and a beautiful young woman named Caterina. From a very young age he discovered his artistic skills and became … Read more

Ralph Waldo Emerson “… was truly one of our great geniuses” even though he may have a short biography (Hodgins 212). But as Emerson once said himself, “Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. ” Emerson was also a major leader of “the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism”. (Encarta 1) Transcendentalism was belief in a higher reality … Read more

Billy Pilgrim is born in 1922 and grows up in Ilium, New York. A funny-looking, weak youth, he does well in high school, then he enrolls in night classes at the Ilium School of Optometry, and is soon drafted into the army. He serves as a chaplain’s assistant, is sent into the Battle of the … Read more

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloefontain, South Africa, to English parents. The family was living in South Africa for his father’s job purposes. In April of 1895, Tolkien, his mother and brother Hilary returned to England. Their father, Arthur Reuel, remained in South Africa with plans to join his … Read more

I’m Steven Spielberg and I was born in Cincinnati on December 18, 1947, but I was mainly raised in New Jersey and Arizona. When I was 12 years old I used my dads 8mm camcorder and made a movie. I continued to make films with the camcorder for five more years until I went on … Read more

Spanish painter, the country’s greatest baroque artist, who, with Francisco de Goya and El Greco, forms the great triumvirate of Spanish painting. Velzquez was born in Seville on June 6, 1599, the oldest of six children; both his parents were from the minor nobility. Between 1611 and 1617 the young Velzquez worked as an apprentice … Read more

Burris Frederic Skinner was born on March 20th, 1904 in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. His mother, Grace M. Burrhus, was a stenographer and a secretary, in a law office and later in a railroad chief executive’s office. His father, William A. Skinner, was an attorney, who studied law with another local attorney at a New York Law … Read more

William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) was arguably the most famous member of the department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. He was born on the 26 June 1824 in Belfast Ireland, and was part of a large family whose mother died when he was aged six. His father taught Kelvin and his … Read more

Nathan Bedford Forrest was born in Bedford County, Tennessee on July 13, 1821. He was the son of William and Marian Beck Forrest. William Forrest was a blacksmith. Unfortunately, he died when Nathan was only 16 years old, leaving Nathan with the task of supporting the family. Nathan did not have a formal education and … Read more

David Herbert Richards Lawrence was born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England on September 11, 1885. His poem Snake was written while he was living in Taormina, Sicily in 1920. The poem is actually derived from an experience there(Groliers). In all, Lawrence published 11 novels in his lifetime, 5 volumes of plays, 9 volumes of essays, and … Read more

Alexis de Tocqueville was born in Paris on July 29th, 1805. Growing up in Metz, France, the youngest child of Herv Tocqueville and Mlle. De Rosanbo, he showed great intellectual promise from his earliest days. By the age of 16, his academic career was a brilliant one, his schoolwork earning him a special prize and … Read more

Babe Ruth, born George Ruth, Jr. , is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. Everybody knows how great a hitter Babe was and how he virtually invented the home run. Not everybody knows how great of a pitcher Babe was, even though he was one of the best left-handed … Read more

John Constable was born into a wealthy family in the English countryside. It was originally suspected that he would take over his fathers business because his older brother was mentally handicapped. However as his interest in painting grew his mother realized that this was a course he was choosing and he was good enough to … Read more

James Cameron was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario in Canada August 14 (16) 1954. His family later moved to Chippewa Falls near Niagra Falls. James Cameron was during his youth years always very fascinated with movies. He was mezmerized when he saw Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey, and he drew himself crazy trying to figure … Read more

Josef Mengele was the oldest of three sons born to Karl and Walburga Mengele in the village of Gunzburg. Karl was a local industrialist who owned a plant that manufactured farming equipment. He was known as a stern but fair employer and a hard worker. It was his wife Walburga, however, whom his employees feared … Read more

Do you know who the worlds greatest explorers are? One of them is the topic of this essay. This essay is about James Cook. The objective of this report will be to answer the following question: Why do we remember James Cook? James Cook was born on October 27, 1728 in Marton, England. At the … Read more

Helen “Nellie” Laetitia Mooney was born October 20, 1873 in a log cabin on Garafraxa Road, two kilometers from Chatsworth, Ontario. She and her family moved to Manitoba when she was six years old. One of Nellie’s best influences was her mother. Her family’s influence was no doubt the reason she became an activist. Her … Read more

The purpose of a biography is to enhance the readers knowledge about a particular persons life, in this case, Florence Beatrice Price, and offer a sort of historical background focusing on significant events, accomplishments, and personal aspects of that particular individuals life. Ideally, the writer molds complex biographical factsbirth and death, education, ambition, conflict, milieu, … Read more

James Riddle Hoffa, the son of a coal driller, was born on 14th February, 1913. His father died when he was seven and in 1924, the family moved to Detroit. Hoffa left school at fourteen and worked as a department-store stock boy. An active trade unionist, in 1932, he led a strike at a Detroit … Read more

What makes a hero or a villain? A hero is defined as a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life. By this definition, there existed countless heroes in America during the 1800s with relation to slavery. There were many abolitionists, particularly … Read more

Erik Homberger Erikson was born in 1902 near Frankfort, Germany to Danish parents. Erik studied art and a variety of languages during his school years, rather than science courses such as biology and chemistry. He did not prefer the atmosphere that formal schooling produced so instead of going to college he traveled around Europe, keeping … Read more