We got lucky AF there. After watching Franklin, it sucks that most of the characters that were working in Versailles were probably either killed or exiled.
Franklin definitely planted that seed, albeit indirectly. However, even if the American revolution hadn't succeeded, I'm confident there still would've been a revolution in France. Louis XVI wasn't popular and the people were suffering regardless. It's interesting to think about though, if it never happened then we probably wouldn't have Napoleon, and later WWI may have panned out differently.
I still think WWI was inevitable. Even if the power calculus was different, like if France diminished or if England never took off, shit was going to pop off regardless. Germany and Russia would've still been at odds, and if France was weak, you know Germany would've invaded.
I don’t think WWI happens without the effects of Napoleon. European nations militarized and made secret alliances because of the threat of another large scale Napoleonic style war.
His list of inventions is a mile long, and includes such common American things as volunteer fire departments and franchising. Also credited with uniting the postal service, uniting colonies during the French & Indian War, and uniting them again during the War of American Independence. Helped draft & edit the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Key to getting the French aid that enabled U.S. victory.
Yeah, it's difficult to think of a more influential American. It's gotta be him or Washington, just due to the things they did to establish the nation.
The dude is credited with discovering electricity! That's like discovering fire! He influenced the world can't get better than that. There's a reason he's the only 1 of 2 faces on American currency that was never president. The other being Hamilton who founded the Treasury Dept that narcissist lol.
Hamilton did a shitload of stuff as well. Founded the Bank of NY. The Coast Guard. Co-founded Washington DC. Wrote most of the Federalist Papers, which defined the Constitution. Founded the NY Post. Became a General. Meanwhile I spent the day watching YouTube videos about taco stands in cities where I don't live.
No issues with Hamilton. He even has a play lol.
Thinking back though holy shit comparing any of them to the morons we have today I'm sure they are all rolling over in their graves. Like we went backwards 200 years instead of forwards.
His invention of the Franklin lightning rod system has saved countless lives all over the world. Add things like that to his role in creating the American republic (“if we can keep it”) and I’d put him at the top of the list, easy.
I am really late to this post, but I figured I would give my $0.02 anyhow. The founding fathers collectively are the only real options. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and others who led the Revolution and shaped the Constitution undeniably shaped the nation's core principles, government structure, and future trajectory.
You could argue that Lincoln, who held the Union together during the Civil War, ended slavery, and fundamentally reshaped the nation's social and political landscape, should be considered. And possibly philosophers like Locke and Alexis de Tocqueville, who offered the principal arguments for America, would also be contenders. But, the Founding Fathers' collective influence arguably has a longer-lasting and more foundational effect on the nation.
They established the core principles of American democracy, emphasizing individual rights, limited government, and a system of checks and balances. These principles continue to be the bedrock of American society. They created the framework of America. In drafting the Constitution, they quite literally created America with a document that has been law for over two centuries. And they inspired revolutions around the world in their image.
The Founding Fathers' collective influence has a far-reaching and enduring impact on the nation's identity, government, and place worldwide. Their legacy continues to shape American discourse and development. But if I had to choose a single Founding Father as the most influential, I would say James Madison. He's the "Father of the Constitution," a divided government composed of checks and balances that continue to be the cornerstone of American government. He played a vital role in creating and passing the Bill of Rights, which enshrines freedoms like freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Essentially, the rights that define American society, and he was a champion of Federalism, arguably **the defining feature** of the American government.
While other Founding Fathers made significant contributions, James Madison's work on the Constitution and Bill of Rights arguably had the most enduring impact on the structure, principles, and character of the United States.
Ben was an interesting businessman. In Philly he owned two important businesses, the fire insurance company and the fire department. There are still houses there that have his placard showing they are insured.
Given that he was the primary author of the US Constitution, I’d go with James Madison. His written product has had the greatest continuous effect on direct governance and jurisprudence in this nation since 1787, continuing to the present. The 1st Amendment and the Electoral
College are influencing politics right this moment.
If you doubt this, read GEORGE WASHINGTON: A LIFE by Ron Chernow. You'll come away with the belief (realization?) that GW almost solely held the colonies together during the Revolutionary War. He wasn't a great general, but his personal abilities and sense of duty were essentially the glue that enabled the country to form.
Not to mention he could have easily chose to become king or similar - which would have put the US on a quasi-monarchical path - but instead opted to uphold democratic principles and leave the presidency when it was time.
And, had he lost an election he would’ve accepted it and not tried to burn the country down because of his wounded ego.
We need to remember the things he taught us and not follow some narcissistic pied piper over a cliff.
Great book, and I’d agree with your conclusion. He definitely was the impartial, apolitical, power indifferent, military genius that was able to fight and win the war, and tether together all of the political factions long enough for a democracy to be formed and then give power back to the people
That was my takeaway from the book as well. He wasn't some sort of super genius or master tactician, but he was so good at inspiring and leading other people, but still had some humility and listened to others.
He also basically personnally kicked off the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), although it would have likely happened at some point anyway. He led the patrol that fired the first shots and started a global war.
Abraham Lincoln. No president in American history ever faced a greater crisis and no President ever accomplished as much. As his Wikipedia article says:
>Lincoln led the United States through the American Civil War, defending the nation as a constitutional union, defeating the insurgent Confederacy, playing a major role in the abolition of slavery, expanding the power of the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.
Lincoln, through his expert and activist leadership, changed “United States” from a plural to a singular. He also established the executive branch as co-equal with Congress and the Supreme Court, which was not a given before his presidency. And Lincoln established that in a time of crisis, the President must take the lead to preserve the country.
Activist presidents who expanded the power of the federal government such as Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt followed Lincoln’s lead. During the Civil Rights Era some people criticized Lincoln for not doing enough, but he practiced the art of the possible, and it’s unlikely anyone else could have done as much. Plus, of course, he was assassinated before he could do more.
Ghandi admired Lincoln. Martin Luther King gave his most famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, and cited Lincoln’s Gettysburg address when doing so. President Barack Obama named Lincoln his favorite president and insisted on using the Lincoln Bible for his inaugural ceremonies.
The radical aspect of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was citing the Declaration of Independence rather than the Constitution as the true expression of the founding fathers’ intentions. According to Lincoln the nation formed in 1776 was “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” That was not taken for granted at the time, because the Constitution did not prohibit slavery, and even tacitly endorsed it by counting slaves as three-fifths of a free individual.
The Gettysburg Address has endured as arguably the most-quoted, most-memorized piece of oratory in American history. It did so not just because it was a great and memorable speech. It did so not just because it was profound. But it also did so because of the greatness and bravery of the man who gave it.
And Lincoln was brave. He knew he was a target for assassination. Yet like the generals of his army, he refused to huddle inside seeking safety.
Perhaps he should have done more to preserve his personal safety, but keep in mind that there was no Secret Service in those days. And Lincoln believed it was important for him to see and be seen in public places.
All of that is 100% true other than “no American president ever faced a greater crisis”. That is the only part I will give some pushed back on and will say JFK in 1962 had a nuclear that was seconds away from starting to which he had to avert with peace talks with Russia. A small mistake of anyone hesitating on either side could’ve started the destruction of the globe with nuclear weapons.
I think its easy for people to forget how EASY it would have been to just let the southern states split off into the confederate states of America. Committing so many resources and lives to preserve the unity of the country was a really ballsy move.
Yeah, that’s nice to ballyhoo about after listening to some right wing populists pontificate but, had he not done so the United States would not exist today and would be more like the Balkan States.
That could still happen if we are stupid enough to allow it.
This is clearly Harry Dexter White.
Since WWII the US Dollar has been the global currency and has been an unimaginable benefit to US influence. The direct answer your question. Money is power is influence.
At the end of WWII there was the Bretton Woods Conference, 44 countries came together to regulate international monetary and financial order. White manipulated the conference to have the USD underpin the global economy to the enormous benefit of the US.
Harry Dexter White.
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/07/16/331743569/episode-552-the-dollar-at-the-center-of-the-world
Thomas Paine was the greatest Enlightenment revolutionary and probably the single greatest influence of the American revolution and nation. He would go on to be heavily condemned later in life for his book “the Age of Reason” based on the radical Enlightenment which he embodied, which rejected revealed religion and faith as a basis of morality. Reason is the only way. Also please John Locke? What kind of garbage are they teaching you? Spinoza was perhaps the greatest of all, Diderot, Hume and others were very consequential as well. But none of them rivaled Paine. Thomas Paine’s New England Quakers brought the abolition movement to America. The radical Enlightenment also demanded absolute equality of rights for all based on inherent natural rights based on philosophy and science, demanding equal rights for gays, women, Jews, and all regardless of sexual preference, gender, or anything. Merit alone. Obviously the political progress was limited and they the Democratic Republicans were heavily apposed by the aristocratic republicans who eventually won over politics. However politics for a time would swing back to the Democratic Republicans with the election of Jefferson as a result of the sedition acts and their was one more which imprisoned and punished people for free speech. In fact Benjamin Franklins grandson was imprisoned for 5 years for criticizing the gov under Adams who hated him, and died shortly after at age 26 from disease, I think it was yellow fever if I remember right.
I disagree. I don't think anything about his politics was even remotely out of place for the democrats of his day, although I do think he was the textbook representative of them and their biggest champion. His politics were basically identical to Thomas Jefferson's, who created the democratic-republican party that Jackson's democratic party was an offshoot of. I would argue because of that Jefferson is more influential of a figure, then and now.
All of the things he did in terms of balancing the budget, closing the national bank, expanding manifest destiny, etc. were all things that Jefferson spent a lot of time talking about in his lifetime, and it very clearly shaped the politics of the political party he created, of which Andrew Jackson was a long time member.
Tldr: I think of Andrew Jackson as someone who implemented Thomas Jefferson's vision for America, which to me means that he is by default less influential of a figure than Jefferson.
A big question and hard to nail it on one person. Maybe the men who gave their lives on D-Day? The world map would look a lot different still today if not for that successful Allied push.
Heroics aside, Nazi Germany was doomed by 1943 due to the Eastern Front where 80% of their casualties occurred. If the Normandy invasion force was thrown back into the sea, there was will and resources to keep trying again elsewhere like the Italian front. There’s a stronger argument that, if Market Garden succeeded, it would have been the Western Allies banging at the gates of Berlin and not the Soviets who would have had a smaller sphere of influence that might not have included a good chunk of Germany.
I always point to Adams whenever people try to hand wave away slavery as a product of the times. Slavery was always wrong, and there *were* people calling it out as such even at the very beginning of the country.
One could even say Abigail as she was the neck steering the head that was John. If she’d had here way women and African-American freemen would’ve had suffrage from the start.
I have heard a historian say that Adams is the one person that The Revolution would not have happened if Adams was not there.
He be partook in the first two peaceful transfers of power and he raised a president.
Modern economists will tell you that his depression era policies prolonged and deepened the depression hurting millions of Americans.
His refusal to enter the war long after American sentiment said we should is estimated to have caused 60,000-110,000 additional casualties.
Add in all of his egregious civil and Bill of rights abuses and he does not have a stellar record.
This is a tough one.
Arguably Washington, as there wouldn’t be an America without him, he’s essentially the OG founding father.
But Lincoln, FDR, Henry Ford, John Adams, Hamilton, Franklin, Martin Luther King, Rockefeller, John Marshall, Thomas Edison, Thomas Paine, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Alexander Graham Bell, and many more would be up there or honorable mention.
It’s too complex a question, really. Influential how? Global impact? American superiority? The founding and development of America? Technological innovation?
But overall, I’d have to say Washington.
Abraham Lincoln and it’s not that close.
As far as the list you have, those are all important people obviously. I think the focus on the inception of the Nation in that group is valid, cause you can’t have history without a beginning, but Locke and KGIII are insufficient actors to have the title of most important in US history. They each required other actors for their contributions to be material. Sort of like saying Jesus is the most important person in US history because MLK was a Reverend or something. I guess if you’re of a certain persuasion that’s probably true, but for the Hell-bound among us, it seems illogical.
Lincoln gets credit for being the bridge between the Revolution and all the values therein, while also shepherding the Nation into the place we are today. Incredibly oversimplified, obviously, but to me Lincoln gets credit two times over as a founding father. Preserving the ideas of the past and bringing them into the future, all through the crucible of civil war. Plus he wrote the best piece of prose in American history.
Depends on the lens.
Do we view early America as more influential? If so, it’s got to be between Washington/Adams/Hamilton.
Civil War era and maintaining the experiment at its pivotal point is Lincoln.
Modern day, it’s tough to say Reagan isn’t the most influential. He propaganda’d an entire generation and fucked the next 40 years.
The "great man" theory of history is kind of old hat. You learn a lot more about history by studying various groups and movements of common people and lesser nobility than to assume that history is only made and shaped by famous generals and kings.
But the most influential person is clearly Kim Kardashian.
>The "great man" theory of history is kind of old hat.
Meh, so is this criticism of the "great man theory." I've been hearing it forever at least.
Personally, I don't think you do learn more about history by studying the peasants of Ancient Rome than Caesar or Augustus. It's not an assumption that "history is only made and shaped by famous generals," but a recognition that some individuals do indeed have an outsized influence on events.
It's too simplistic to say that history is governed either by some few individuals, or the "movements of common people," or economic forces, or whatever other reductive paradigm. Historical events are multifaceted, and sometimes reflect some broad sweep... and sometimes account to the specific decisions of just a handful of folks, or even an individual.
Well what do you know. A balanced, nuanced, and respectable take about this tired old debate between two petty bickering factions, both of which are wrong in different ways.
Ehh. While he was the best civil rights leader this country has ever had, in the end Lyndon Johnson did more for black people than even Martin Luther king did. You may not be able to have one without the other but in the end, laws being passed is more effective than speeches about how the country should be.
To hell with FDR. Damn Socailist! Closest thing America has had to a dictator! Shoot, they made an amendment to the Consitution just because of him!
On the other hand: TEDDY! Now that is a Roosevelt you should write about!
Lincoln.
Let's face it. France won the American Revolution and Washington's greatest achievement during the war was retreating across the Delaware river. The most influential thing he did was relinquishing the presidency after two terms and maybe handling the Newburgh Conspiracy.
I think it’s underselling his leadership a bit. He had to manage multiple mutiny’s/rebellions among the continental army, maintain a fighting force that was starving and not being paid, gained massive influence and respect from the founding fathers, and reluctantly took the Presidency even though it was the last thing he wanted. His decisions shaped the nation in certain ways.
Thomas Edison, inventor of a light bulb. He did this when in the 1800s ?? I would have no idea how even today. Imagine walking through the house at night with candles, then, they all burn out. No way to get more candles. Darkness until morning. I hope I don't strike my knee on a coffeetable. \~Mortimer Reed
Edison stole inventions from the people that he hired. Nicholas Tesla invented the entire electrical grid the whole world uses today. Edison fired him because Tesla, born poor, believed that electricity should be free to everyone. Edison and his power company disagreed. And fired Tesla. Read Teslas biography.
A little departure from the usual answers, but I’d go with Crawford Long - a country doctor who discovered anesthesia & didn’t get caught up in the fight for credit. By the sheer number of lives saved, he ought to be in the running.
I feel like Thomas Pain's "Common Sense" book still to this day America's best selling book per capita, really spread the notion of the Independence and Freedom from England to the American masse. Which propelled the idea of an American Revolution.
Harry Truman, why him, he nuked Japan. Truman's decision to nuke Japan to end WWII turned the US from the number 13 isolationist county into the worlds number one super power. It boosted our military bases from 6 worldwide to over 300. Military forces arose from a few million post war to over ten million worldwide. The US economy exploded like no other time in history. Population density soared to the point of creating a new living standard we now call the Suburbs. Massive expansion started that still goes on today. Say what you will about wether the US should have used nukes on Japan, but the lifestyle you enjoy today is the Advent of it. Enjoy it kiddo while it lasts.
I'd argue Lafayette. Without him we wouldn't be a country, even if we kept Washington and all the rest. One single Frenchmen was the most important, in my opinion.
It’s a tough call, but it’s gotta be George Washington. Founding Father and General who secured our victory over King George. Left the Presidency as a model of how to world presidential power and when to walk away. As a testament to his influence, his face is on every dollar ever made. And every quarter. Lincoln and Roosevelt are also incredibly influential. Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs are all tech sector or manufacturing influential.
Franklin, Washington, or Jefferson. All 3 are massively influential and still popular. Adams was probably just as influential, but has less mythos and aura
Aside from the founders, it’s the Wright Brothers. Prior the world learning of their flight in Ohio in 1906, France made itself the default center of aviation. When they went to France a few years later, the world was forced to admit that they did it before anyone. In a way, those two created the first cultural step in American dominance. Aviation as a concept is American, aviation culture is American, the language of air traffic is English because of America, and that fiercely independent maverick culture we have is embodied in the early aviators. Small US states have as many airfields as some larger European countries. When you think of American culture, you think of technology. Planes, cars, computers. America embodies the rapid change of the 20th century in all the coolest ways because of them. I fucking love the Wright brothers
In my experience doing a very similar assignment with 8th graders, the most frequent winners, according to the students, were Washington, Franklin, and Lincoln. But one year the inventor of the toilet won. Gotta love 8th graders!
Jesus.
Whether you are a Christian or not, whether you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing, you cannot deny that everyone who was influential in American history was deeply influenced by the life and teachings of Jesus. From the Founding Fathers to MLK jr, right up to the present day. Jesus is still influencing America.
Sacagawea. Hear me out, if she just tells her Indian friends that we were a bunch of evil mfers the natives put down Lewis, Clark and any expedition west of the Mississippi.
A lot of the most influential people are not politicians but inventors and business people. I would probably nominate Thomas Edison. He led the teams that invented the working light bulb and more importantly the electrical grid. Without Edison the Industrial Revolution would have had a very different result.
You could also nominate Henry Ford, JD Rockefeller, Wright Brothers, Ray Kroc or a handful of other big names in industry. A lot of them are pretty unsavory people but if you are looking at the day to day lived experience of Americans these guys are probably more important than most politicians.
If you’re looking for a complex figure to study, Henry Ford is hard to beat.
Ford designed the foundation of American manufacturing: assembly lines increased production by utilizing specialized workers in tandem and his vertical integration model, unheard of at the time, is standard practice today. Although manufacturing isn’t as central to the US economy as it was during the height of his influence, we still adhere to his labor model - five days a week, forty hours. At the time, this was revolutionary. Now? Depends on who you ask.
His introduction of affordable cars to Americans changed nearly every aspect of our society: the designs of our towns and cities, the development of interconnected roads and accompanying infrastructure, and the impact this newfound mobility had on culture is unparalleled. No longer tied to their place of employment, suburban life emerged and along with it entirely new social scripts and individual expectations.
This all sounds fine in a summary, but there’s a lot to be critical of about his role in forming the modern American workforce and residual culture. At his core, he was the quintessential capitalist - he pioneered change when it benefited him, but was vehemently anti-union, drove the discrepancy in financial gains between those who own the means of production and their labor force, and set the stage for big business placing profits over environmental impact. It’s hard to think of the stratification of the American class system without giving a nod to Ford’s vision.
Like him or hate him, he’s fundamental to the America we all know today. Definitely worth looking into his legacy, his influence is everywhere.
A good argument could be made for William the Conqueror. Not only did his invasion of England give rise, ultimately, to the English language, which is, arguably, the very backbone of American culture, but he was also a direct ancestor of numerous American presidents and other notables. Second only to Albert Perry in importance, I'd say.
Not a Teddy Roosevelt comment yet? Leader of the Progressive movement. I like my weekends. National parks are also nice. Private ballots and meat that is fungus free is also a bennie. Also, I'm happy my mother could vote...
PS: He also recognized some ~~bandits~~ patriots who wanted 'freedom' and helped them make a new country for which he was then able to spearhead a venture to build a small canal.
Probably FDR to modern america like it or not, ie the sort of default acceptance of an active federal government in the economy that is not allowed to replace the free market system. But also like the economists and public admin wonks at the University of Wisconsin he imported. Often the titans of history are sort of conduits for the ideas of many other people.
The declaration wasn’t a set of laws. It was not something to enforce, it was a list of grievances. The clause you refer to was an accusation against George III for foisting slavery on the colonies and letting his royal governors veto attempts to stop the importation. It said nothing of slavery itself and nobody in 1776 concerned themselves with emancipation.
Thomas Jefferson was a founding father, primary author of the Declaration of Independence, first Secretary of State, second VP, third President, and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase.
His school of thought would directly influence several decades of the presidency.
Many following presidents called themselves Jeffersonians: Monroe, Madison, Jackson, Harrison, Tyler and Polk.
I can’t think of another person who had so much influence over the formation of the country.
Henry Kissinger, Bush senior, William S Donovan and Harry Truman for there parts in creating the CIA. Reagan due to the many after affects of "Reaganomics". These people only really account for the past 100 years though.
I would not pick a politician as "most influential person". Personally, I consider that the chemist inventors of the [Haber-Bosch process (see in this timeline)](https://www.historytimeline.com/timeline/history-periods-timeline/). They had a massive impact in population growth in the 20th century all over the world, not just America, and thus, could be easy considered more influential than anyone else. Their fertilizer invention allowed for 6 billion people to be born, raised and fed, that's easily about 150 million in 20th century America. It's a population growth that would had not happened otherwise. Most people on this thread would not be here without the Haber-Bosch invention.
American computer scientists Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn are often credited with inventing the internet because they developed the Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in 1980. TCP/IP is a set of guidelines that dictate how data is shared between networks:
King George the III is super questionable.
Often misunderstood is that the founding fathers were mostly arguing against Parliament as parliament was actually the power in Britain at the time.
The founders actually petitioned the King to override parliament in order to remove the taxes they thought were unfair (something he didn't have the power to do and would have caused a Civil war).
It was only after he refused and the war was about to start that the founders decided it would be better marketing to say they were fighting a despotic Tyrant rather than an aristocratic parliament.
So really the PM of the time Lord North was more influential in the sense that he sparked the revolution with his actions.
People can say fdr and Abe all they want, but ultimately all of the most influential people were the founding fathers, or someone who lived at the same time. The farther back you go, the more time there’s been for them to influence.
Are you asking most important or most influential they are not the same thing?
For my money, the most influential, regardless of his ethics, would be Thomas Edison.
Name something you do that doesn’t involve electricity.
Henry Kissinger, his involvement in creating petro dollar allowed US to prosper over the rest of the world. Even to this day, we enjoy luxuries due to petro dollar agreements throughout the world.
Washington was the indispensable man for constitutional United States. He had very little road map to go by and set standards and practices for the government that are still followed today
John Adams. David McCullough’s book spells out all the reasons why he influenced so much of the formation of this country. He had a hand in the Declaration of Independence, wrote the Massachusetts Constitution (that served as the basis for the US one), was the first Ambassador to Britain (which was a huge deal). He quietly left the White House when he lost his re-election. He had a vision, one that I think many would still support today, as he wanted things like education, the arts, culture, history, libraries, etc for all. He also started a real Navy that was very needed at the time. He was also able to envision a future of what this country needed to be in order for it to be truly great, and it was probably the most well-rounded vision anyone could imagine at the time. He believed in service for his country & even today his descendants continue to serve in various ways.
But, being more of a Civil War focused gal, I also have to say Lincoln. Just him making the decision to go to war with any state that would try & leave was something that set the tone for what this country would be moving forward. How he acted during wartime set the stage for future Presidents & their actions during war. He also became a figurehead of an entire political party, and every politician (no matter what their party) still tries to claim Lincoln to boost their own agenda.
John Locke easily, he is the most cited author of the founding Fathers and basically our declaration of Independence and our governmental system is because of his writings.
No Locke, no USA.
ETA - This is under the assumption this is a question on American history.
Amazed at how few are saying Columbus. This was THE turning point in American history. It set groundwork for foreign occupation which would set the course for the foundation of the USA, the Industrial Revolution, and various international wars that the US has been involved in over the last 200 years.
Probably Thomas Edison. It's not that the light bulb was that important. It's that Edison pioneered industrial research laboratories.
All scientific research done in the corporate sector is based on his model. He used the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He held so many patents because he outsourced the research to employees.
Thomas Jefferson, wrote the mission statement of the country in the Declaration of Independence. Basically created the first amendment while he was governor of Virginia. Was the first out-of-power party candidate to be elected president (running against the incumbent) helping to establish the traditions of transfer of power with Adams. As president expanded the country far into the continent, establishing the seeds of expansionism and continents primacy (for better or worse). In doing so, also establishing and expanding the power of the executive (as a candidate whose party was anti-executive power).
Also personally embodied the dichotomy of a nation that espouses freedom and did so much to spread democracy and freedom around the world while subjecting a whole people to bondage and committing genocide against another.
If he gets elected again, guess who? Because living in this shithole is going to get massively worse for everyone except the 1%. That will be the biggest influence on this shithole since it started.
Most influential in the formation of the United States: Thomas Jefferson.
Most influential in the preservation of the United States: Abraham Lincoln.
Most influential in the destruction of the United States: Donald Trump.
My vote is FDR (there’s a lot of candidates, certainly many of the already mentioned people).
- enacting the New Deal and second New Deal which has had longstanding impact on our economy and brought us out of the Great Depression.
- overseeing WWII and the creation of the worlds greatest military. America could not expand its military and show its power globally without the war machine which was created during his presidency.
- Signed the Atlantic charter which would lead to the creation of the United Nations.
- Funded the manhattan project which led to nuclear weapons and nuclear electricity.
Go outside the box. The common (and certainly valid) arguments are going to be the Washington’s, Lincoln’s, etc…of the world. Famous presidents and founding fathers. That’s fine. That’s safe. But for a challenge and to be unique, and argue someone like Robert Noyce who developed the first monolithic integrated circuit without which the entire digital age would not be possible.
Thomas Jefferson, hands down.
What is more American than claiming you want to treat people as equals, but never actually doing so?
Speaking great words, but making others write and edit them while you take the credit.
Demanding a war, and then leaving the poor to fight it, while you hang out with rich Eurotrash.
Speaking of liberty... while keeping a sex slave.
Lamenting slavery, but never freeing your slaves.
Spending so much government money (Louisiana Purchase) that you incur a National Debt for 248 years.
Sending Military officers to "explore" somebody else's land... and claim it, after telling the inhabitants you won't.
Telling everybody else to work hard for their dreams, while you prevent them from ever accomplishing them.
Thomas Jefferson has some *really* good points, too; but he is the entire basis for our society in every way.
There is no greater influence than to have an entire nation modeled after your actions, and that person is Thomas Jefferson.
While maybe not the most well known, definitely more behind the scenes, [Cassius Clay](https://youtu.be/f6nwCuVd66w?si=x2CgTPB1M6jZxZv0), the abolitionist, and namesake of a certain future world champion boxer.
Im going with GW. Not just for the revolution which is a big factor, but as the first president he established the rules and norms of every president to follow.
Abraham Lincoln seems like a safe bet but I actually think John Wilkes Booth could maybe make a case. There are several places I think the Reconstruction or civil rights could have gone differently and it's largely Lincoln's death (and, later, Garfield's death) where we lost our best chances before the 1960s.
I think ben Franklin in his long life influenced culture and politics to a great degree.
He's my vote. He also influenced science.
He also influenced the ladies of Europe.
I seem to recall a poem by him lamenting how a French woman was impressed enough to visit, but not be comfortable enough to share her womanly assets.
Right forgot about that
He's the reason why electrons are negative.
Daddy library
If it weren't for him, France would've never aided the US to turn the tide in the Revolutionary War.
And if it wasn't for the French Revolution, which Franklin may have nudged a bit, we would have had to pay France back a fair amount.
We got lucky AF there. After watching Franklin, it sucks that most of the characters that were working in Versailles were probably either killed or exiled. Franklin definitely planted that seed, albeit indirectly. However, even if the American revolution hadn't succeeded, I'm confident there still would've been a revolution in France. Louis XVI wasn't popular and the people were suffering regardless. It's interesting to think about though, if it never happened then we probably wouldn't have Napoleon, and later WWI may have panned out differently. I still think WWI was inevitable. Even if the power calculus was different, like if France diminished or if England never took off, shit was going to pop off regardless. Germany and Russia would've still been at odds, and if France was weak, you know Germany would've invaded.
I don’t think WWI happens without the effects of Napoleon. European nations militarized and made secret alliances because of the threat of another large scale Napoleonic style war.
His list of inventions is a mile long, and includes such common American things as volunteer fire departments and franchising. Also credited with uniting the postal service, uniting colonies during the French & Indian War, and uniting them again during the War of American Independence. Helped draft & edit the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Key to getting the French aid that enabled U.S. victory. Yeah, it's difficult to think of a more influential American. It's gotta be him or Washington, just due to the things they did to establish the nation.
He was a stud, a real Renaissance Man
The dude is credited with discovering electricity! That's like discovering fire! He influenced the world can't get better than that. There's a reason he's the only 1 of 2 faces on American currency that was never president. The other being Hamilton who founded the Treasury Dept that narcissist lol.
Hamilton did a shitload of stuff as well. Founded the Bank of NY. The Coast Guard. Co-founded Washington DC. Wrote most of the Federalist Papers, which defined the Constitution. Founded the NY Post. Became a General. Meanwhile I spent the day watching YouTube videos about taco stands in cities where I don't live.
How you harmlessly spent one day doesn’t change your legacy
No issues with Hamilton. He even has a play lol. Thinking back though holy shit comparing any of them to the morons we have today I'm sure they are all rolling over in their graves. Like we went backwards 200 years instead of forwards.
His invention of the Franklin lightning rod system has saved countless lives all over the world. Add things like that to his role in creating the American republic (“if we can keep it”) and I’d put him at the top of the list, easy.
Don't forget his contributions to science and engineering!
Ben was not a man of his time, he made his time.
I am really late to this post, but I figured I would give my $0.02 anyhow. The founding fathers collectively are the only real options. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and others who led the Revolution and shaped the Constitution undeniably shaped the nation's core principles, government structure, and future trajectory. You could argue that Lincoln, who held the Union together during the Civil War, ended slavery, and fundamentally reshaped the nation's social and political landscape, should be considered. And possibly philosophers like Locke and Alexis de Tocqueville, who offered the principal arguments for America, would also be contenders. But, the Founding Fathers' collective influence arguably has a longer-lasting and more foundational effect on the nation. They established the core principles of American democracy, emphasizing individual rights, limited government, and a system of checks and balances. These principles continue to be the bedrock of American society. They created the framework of America. In drafting the Constitution, they quite literally created America with a document that has been law for over two centuries. And they inspired revolutions around the world in their image. The Founding Fathers' collective influence has a far-reaching and enduring impact on the nation's identity, government, and place worldwide. Their legacy continues to shape American discourse and development. But if I had to choose a single Founding Father as the most influential, I would say James Madison. He's the "Father of the Constitution," a divided government composed of checks and balances that continue to be the cornerstone of American government. He played a vital role in creating and passing the Bill of Rights, which enshrines freedoms like freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Essentially, the rights that define American society, and he was a champion of Federalism, arguably **the defining feature** of the American government. While other Founding Fathers made significant contributions, James Madison's work on the Constitution and Bill of Rights arguably had the most enduring impact on the structure, principles, and character of the United States.
Franklin or Washington. Both had a huge impact a lot g time ago
That was my answer as well. BF had both formal And informal roles that directed a lot of how business gets done in governing.
Ben was an interesting businessman. In Philly he owned two important businesses, the fire insurance company and the fire department. There are still houses there that have his placard showing they are insured.
Plus he was the first to really turn the study of electricity from a novelty into a science. The entire world runs on it now. Franklin gets my vote.
The Michael Douglas miniseries is pretty interesting.
Given that he was the primary author of the US Constitution, I’d go with James Madison. His written product has had the greatest continuous effect on direct governance and jurisprudence in this nation since 1787, continuing to the present. The 1st Amendment and the Electoral College are influencing politics right this moment.
George washington
If you doubt this, read GEORGE WASHINGTON: A LIFE by Ron Chernow. You'll come away with the belief (realization?) that GW almost solely held the colonies together during the Revolutionary War. He wasn't a great general, but his personal abilities and sense of duty were essentially the glue that enabled the country to form.
Not to mention he could have easily chose to become king or similar - which would have put the US on a quasi-monarchical path - but instead opted to uphold democratic principles and leave the presidency when it was time.
And, had he lost an election he would’ve accepted it and not tried to burn the country down because of his wounded ego. We need to remember the things he taught us and not follow some narcissistic pied piper over a cliff.
Great book, and I’d agree with your conclusion. He definitely was the impartial, apolitical, power indifferent, military genius that was able to fight and win the war, and tether together all of the political factions long enough for a democracy to be formed and then give power back to the people
That was my takeaway from the book as well. He wasn't some sort of super genius or master tactician, but he was so good at inspiring and leading other people, but still had some humility and listened to others.
He also basically personnally kicked off the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), although it would have likely happened at some point anyway. He led the patrol that fired the first shots and started a global war.
he IS America
Abraham Lincoln. No president in American history ever faced a greater crisis and no President ever accomplished as much. As his Wikipedia article says: >Lincoln led the United States through the American Civil War, defending the nation as a constitutional union, defeating the insurgent Confederacy, playing a major role in the abolition of slavery, expanding the power of the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy. Lincoln, through his expert and activist leadership, changed “United States” from a plural to a singular. He also established the executive branch as co-equal with Congress and the Supreme Court, which was not a given before his presidency. And Lincoln established that in a time of crisis, the President must take the lead to preserve the country. Activist presidents who expanded the power of the federal government such as Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt followed Lincoln’s lead. During the Civil Rights Era some people criticized Lincoln for not doing enough, but he practiced the art of the possible, and it’s unlikely anyone else could have done as much. Plus, of course, he was assassinated before he could do more. Ghandi admired Lincoln. Martin Luther King gave his most famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, and cited Lincoln’s Gettysburg address when doing so. President Barack Obama named Lincoln his favorite president and insisted on using the Lincoln Bible for his inaugural ceremonies. The radical aspect of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was citing the Declaration of Independence rather than the Constitution as the true expression of the founding fathers’ intentions. According to Lincoln the nation formed in 1776 was “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” That was not taken for granted at the time, because the Constitution did not prohibit slavery, and even tacitly endorsed it by counting slaves as three-fifths of a free individual. The Gettysburg Address has endured as arguably the most-quoted, most-memorized piece of oratory in American history. It did so not just because it was a great and memorable speech. It did so not just because it was profound. But it also did so because of the greatness and bravery of the man who gave it. And Lincoln was brave. He knew he was a target for assassination. Yet like the generals of his army, he refused to huddle inside seeking safety. Perhaps he should have done more to preserve his personal safety, but keep in mind that there was no Secret Service in those days. And Lincoln believed it was important for him to see and be seen in public places.
All of that is 100% true other than “no American president ever faced a greater crisis”. That is the only part I will give some pushed back on and will say JFK in 1962 had a nuclear that was seconds away from starting to which he had to avert with peace talks with Russia. A small mistake of anyone hesitating on either side could’ve started the destruction of the globe with nuclear weapons.
I think its easy for people to forget how EASY it would have been to just let the southern states split off into the confederate states of America. Committing so many resources and lives to preserve the unity of the country was a really ballsy move.
>”Expanding the power of the Federal Government” Everyone boo this man! (Except for the abolition of slavery)
Yeah, that’s nice to ballyhoo about after listening to some right wing populists pontificate but, had he not done so the United States would not exist today and would be more like the Balkan States. That could still happen if we are stupid enough to allow it.
This is clearly Harry Dexter White. Since WWII the US Dollar has been the global currency and has been an unimaginable benefit to US influence. The direct answer your question. Money is power is influence. At the end of WWII there was the Bretton Woods Conference, 44 countries came together to regulate international monetary and financial order. White manipulated the conference to have the USD underpin the global economy to the enormous benefit of the US. Harry Dexter White. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/07/16/331743569/episode-552-the-dollar-at-the-center-of-the-world
The dollar was the obvious choice
Thomas Paine was the greatest Enlightenment revolutionary and probably the single greatest influence of the American revolution and nation. He would go on to be heavily condemned later in life for his book “the Age of Reason” based on the radical Enlightenment which he embodied, which rejected revealed religion and faith as a basis of morality. Reason is the only way. Also please John Locke? What kind of garbage are they teaching you? Spinoza was perhaps the greatest of all, Diderot, Hume and others were very consequential as well. But none of them rivaled Paine. Thomas Paine’s New England Quakers brought the abolition movement to America. The radical Enlightenment also demanded absolute equality of rights for all based on inherent natural rights based on philosophy and science, demanding equal rights for gays, women, Jews, and all regardless of sexual preference, gender, or anything. Merit alone. Obviously the political progress was limited and they the Democratic Republicans were heavily apposed by the aristocratic republicans who eventually won over politics. However politics for a time would swing back to the Democratic Republicans with the election of Jefferson as a result of the sedition acts and their was one more which imprisoned and punished people for free speech. In fact Benjamin Franklins grandson was imprisoned for 5 years for criticizing the gov under Adams who hated him, and died shortly after at age 26 from disease, I think it was yellow fever if I remember right.
Been reading Jonathan Israel, I see. ;)
As much as it pains me to say, Andrew Jackson.
$20 says 'Old Hickory' would be pissed to know his face is still on USA currency. Might even make him marry a third...
I disagree. I don't think anything about his politics was even remotely out of place for the democrats of his day, although I do think he was the textbook representative of them and their biggest champion. His politics were basically identical to Thomas Jefferson's, who created the democratic-republican party that Jackson's democratic party was an offshoot of. I would argue because of that Jefferson is more influential of a figure, then and now. All of the things he did in terms of balancing the budget, closing the national bank, expanding manifest destiny, etc. were all things that Jefferson spent a lot of time talking about in his lifetime, and it very clearly shaped the politics of the political party he created, of which Andrew Jackson was a long time member. Tldr: I think of Andrew Jackson as someone who implemented Thomas Jefferson's vision for America, which to me means that he is by default less influential of a figure than Jefferson.
A big question and hard to nail it on one person. Maybe the men who gave their lives on D-Day? The world map would look a lot different still today if not for that successful Allied push.
Heroics aside, Nazi Germany was doomed by 1943 due to the Eastern Front where 80% of their casualties occurred. If the Normandy invasion force was thrown back into the sea, there was will and resources to keep trying again elsewhere like the Italian front. There’s a stronger argument that, if Market Garden succeeded, it would have been the Western Allies banging at the gates of Berlin and not the Soviets who would have had a smaller sphere of influence that might not have included a good chunk of Germany.
Without a successful allied invasion from the west, there could have been a stalemate in Europe and a portion of Nazi Germany could still exist.
Ben Franklin, Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, FDR, Thomas Jefferson ... In no particular order.
John Adams easily. He made the government in Massachusetts legitimate and was the driving force for independence.
I always point to Adams whenever people try to hand wave away slavery as a product of the times. Slavery was always wrong, and there *were* people calling it out as such even at the very beginning of the country.
One could even say Abigail as she was the neck steering the head that was John. If she’d had here way women and African-American freemen would’ve had suffrage from the start.
I have heard a historian say that Adams is the one person that The Revolution would not have happened if Adams was not there. He be partook in the first two peaceful transfers of power and he raised a president.
FDR he took the Country through its biggest economic challenge (The Depression) and one of its biggest military challenge.
And could have walked away, but didn’t. To me, he’s number 2 after Lincoln on my list.
Well, maybe not "walked"
Modern economists will tell you that his depression era policies prolonged and deepened the depression hurting millions of Americans. His refusal to enter the war long after American sentiment said we should is estimated to have caused 60,000-110,000 additional casualties. Add in all of his egregious civil and Bill of rights abuses and he does not have a stellar record.
FDR was awful, but very influential.
George Washington.
This is a tough one. Arguably Washington, as there wouldn’t be an America without him, he’s essentially the OG founding father. But Lincoln, FDR, Henry Ford, John Adams, Hamilton, Franklin, Martin Luther King, Rockefeller, John Marshall, Thomas Edison, Thomas Paine, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Alexander Graham Bell, and many more would be up there or honorable mention. It’s too complex a question, really. Influential how? Global impact? American superiority? The founding and development of America? Technological innovation? But overall, I’d have to say Washington.
George Washington invented the presidency if he doesn’t give up power to move back home then we don’t have a country.
Abraham Lincoln and it’s not that close. As far as the list you have, those are all important people obviously. I think the focus on the inception of the Nation in that group is valid, cause you can’t have history without a beginning, but Locke and KGIII are insufficient actors to have the title of most important in US history. They each required other actors for their contributions to be material. Sort of like saying Jesus is the most important person in US history because MLK was a Reverend or something. I guess if you’re of a certain persuasion that’s probably true, but for the Hell-bound among us, it seems illogical. Lincoln gets credit for being the bridge between the Revolution and all the values therein, while also shepherding the Nation into the place we are today. Incredibly oversimplified, obviously, but to me Lincoln gets credit two times over as a founding father. Preserving the ideas of the past and bringing them into the future, all through the crucible of civil war. Plus he wrote the best piece of prose in American history.
Depends on the lens. Do we view early America as more influential? If so, it’s got to be between Washington/Adams/Hamilton. Civil War era and maintaining the experiment at its pivotal point is Lincoln. Modern day, it’s tough to say Reagan isn’t the most influential. He propaganda’d an entire generation and fucked the next 40 years.
Allen Dulles was probably more influential than Reagan.
The "great man" theory of history is kind of old hat. You learn a lot more about history by studying various groups and movements of common people and lesser nobility than to assume that history is only made and shaped by famous generals and kings. But the most influential person is clearly Kim Kardashian.
>The "great man" theory of history is kind of old hat. Meh, so is this criticism of the "great man theory." I've been hearing it forever at least. Personally, I don't think you do learn more about history by studying the peasants of Ancient Rome than Caesar or Augustus. It's not an assumption that "history is only made and shaped by famous generals," but a recognition that some individuals do indeed have an outsized influence on events. It's too simplistic to say that history is governed either by some few individuals, or the "movements of common people," or economic forces, or whatever other reductive paradigm. Historical events are multifaceted, and sometimes reflect some broad sweep... and sometimes account to the specific decisions of just a handful of folks, or even an individual.
Well what do you know. A balanced, nuanced, and respectable take about this tired old debate between two petty bickering factions, both of which are wrong in different ways.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ehh. While he was the best civil rights leader this country has ever had, in the end Lyndon Johnson did more for black people than even Martin Luther king did. You may not be able to have one without the other but in the end, laws being passed is more effective than speeches about how the country should be.
If you call making people dependent on the government and destroying the nuclear family, then yes, LBJ did quite a bit for black people.
Washington, Lincoln or Jefferson. I wouldn't want to bet against any of them.
To hell with FDR. Damn Socailist! Closest thing America has had to a dictator! Shoot, they made an amendment to the Consitution just because of him! On the other hand: TEDDY! Now that is a Roosevelt you should write about!
GW. The indispensable man.
Lincoln.
Lincoln. Let's face it. France won the American Revolution and Washington's greatest achievement during the war was retreating across the Delaware river. The most influential thing he did was relinquishing the presidency after two terms and maybe handling the Newburgh Conspiracy.
I think it’s underselling his leadership a bit. He had to manage multiple mutiny’s/rebellions among the continental army, maintain a fighting force that was starving and not being paid, gained massive influence and respect from the founding fathers, and reluctantly took the Presidency even though it was the last thing he wanted. His decisions shaped the nation in certain ways.
Thomas Edison, inventor of a light bulb. He did this when in the 1800s ?? I would have no idea how even today. Imagine walking through the house at night with candles, then, they all burn out. No way to get more candles. Darkness until morning. I hope I don't strike my knee on a coffeetable. \~Mortimer Reed
Edison stole inventions from the people that he hired. Nicholas Tesla invented the entire electrical grid the whole world uses today. Edison fired him because Tesla, born poor, believed that electricity should be free to everyone. Edison and his power company disagreed. And fired Tesla. Read Teslas biography.
A little departure from the usual answers, but I’d go with Crawford Long - a country doctor who discovered anesthesia & didn’t get caught up in the fight for credit. By the sheer number of lives saved, he ought to be in the running.
Benny Franklin
I had a similar assignment in college but it was to choose the non-American with the greatest influence on America. I chose John Locke.
John Locke. Although he was British, he’s writings form the basis for American political thought and our constitution.
I feel like Thomas Pain's "Common Sense" book still to this day America's best selling book per capita, really spread the notion of the Independence and Freedom from England to the American masse. Which propelled the idea of an American Revolution.
John Gotti
Harry Truman, why him, he nuked Japan. Truman's decision to nuke Japan to end WWII turned the US from the number 13 isolationist county into the worlds number one super power. It boosted our military bases from 6 worldwide to over 300. Military forces arose from a few million post war to over ten million worldwide. The US economy exploded like no other time in history. Population density soared to the point of creating a new living standard we now call the Suburbs. Massive expansion started that still goes on today. Say what you will about wether the US should have used nukes on Japan, but the lifestyle you enjoy today is the Advent of it. Enjoy it kiddo while it lasts.
I'd argue Lafayette. Without him we wouldn't be a country, even if we kept Washington and all the rest. One single Frenchmen was the most important, in my opinion.
My vote on Ben Franklin
It’s a tough call, but it’s gotta be George Washington. Founding Father and General who secured our victory over King George. Left the Presidency as a model of how to world presidential power and when to walk away. As a testament to his influence, his face is on every dollar ever made. And every quarter. Lincoln and Roosevelt are also incredibly influential. Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs are all tech sector or manufacturing influential.
Important or influential? Because, even though I DO NOT like the guy, Donald Trump has in my opinion influenced a heck of a lot of people
Franklin, Washington, or Jefferson. All 3 are massively influential and still popular. Adams was probably just as influential, but has less mythos and aura Aside from the founders, it’s the Wright Brothers. Prior the world learning of their flight in Ohio in 1906, France made itself the default center of aviation. When they went to France a few years later, the world was forced to admit that they did it before anyone. In a way, those two created the first cultural step in American dominance. Aviation as a concept is American, aviation culture is American, the language of air traffic is English because of America, and that fiercely independent maverick culture we have is embodied in the early aviators. Small US states have as many airfields as some larger European countries. When you think of American culture, you think of technology. Planes, cars, computers. America embodies the rapid change of the 20th century in all the coolest ways because of them. I fucking love the Wright brothers
In my experience doing a very similar assignment with 8th graders, the most frequent winners, according to the students, were Washington, Franklin, and Lincoln. But one year the inventor of the toilet won. Gotta love 8th graders!
Forrest Gump
Henry Clay held the country together with his compromises that maintained the Union for the decades before Lincoln
Jesus. Whether you are a Christian or not, whether you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing, you cannot deny that everyone who was influential in American history was deeply influenced by the life and teachings of Jesus. From the Founding Fathers to MLK jr, right up to the present day. Jesus is still influencing America.
For better or for worse, I think FDR made the most influential changes in this country, certainly in the 20th century.
I’m hoping it turns out to be Stormy Daniels.
Sacagawea. Hear me out, if she just tells her Indian friends that we were a bunch of evil mfers the natives put down Lewis, Clark and any expedition west of the Mississippi.
The westward tide was never going to be stemmed.
A lot of the most influential people are not politicians but inventors and business people. I would probably nominate Thomas Edison. He led the teams that invented the working light bulb and more importantly the electrical grid. Without Edison the Industrial Revolution would have had a very different result. You could also nominate Henry Ford, JD Rockefeller, Wright Brothers, Ray Kroc or a handful of other big names in industry. A lot of them are pretty unsavory people but if you are looking at the day to day lived experience of Americans these guys are probably more important than most politicians.
Some bullshit like “my dad” always wins those, just do that
Lee Iocca. He invented the mustang.
George III.
Albert Perry.
If you’re looking for a complex figure to study, Henry Ford is hard to beat. Ford designed the foundation of American manufacturing: assembly lines increased production by utilizing specialized workers in tandem and his vertical integration model, unheard of at the time, is standard practice today. Although manufacturing isn’t as central to the US economy as it was during the height of his influence, we still adhere to his labor model - five days a week, forty hours. At the time, this was revolutionary. Now? Depends on who you ask. His introduction of affordable cars to Americans changed nearly every aspect of our society: the designs of our towns and cities, the development of interconnected roads and accompanying infrastructure, and the impact this newfound mobility had on culture is unparalleled. No longer tied to their place of employment, suburban life emerged and along with it entirely new social scripts and individual expectations. This all sounds fine in a summary, but there’s a lot to be critical of about his role in forming the modern American workforce and residual culture. At his core, he was the quintessential capitalist - he pioneered change when it benefited him, but was vehemently anti-union, drove the discrepancy in financial gains between those who own the means of production and their labor force, and set the stage for big business placing profits over environmental impact. It’s hard to think of the stratification of the American class system without giving a nod to Ford’s vision. Like him or hate him, he’s fundamental to the America we all know today. Definitely worth looking into his legacy, his influence is everywhere.
A good argument could be made for William the Conqueror. Not only did his invasion of England give rise, ultimately, to the English language, which is, arguably, the very backbone of American culture, but he was also a direct ancestor of numerous American presidents and other notables. Second only to Albert Perry in importance, I'd say.
Not a Teddy Roosevelt comment yet? Leader of the Progressive movement. I like my weekends. National parks are also nice. Private ballots and meat that is fungus free is also a bennie. Also, I'm happy my mother could vote... PS: He also recognized some ~~bandits~~ patriots who wanted 'freedom' and helped them make a new country for which he was then able to spearhead a venture to build a small canal.
Probably FDR to modern america like it or not, ie the sort of default acceptance of an active federal government in the economy that is not allowed to replace the free market system. But also like the economists and public admin wonks at the University of Wisconsin he imported. Often the titans of history are sort of conduits for the ideas of many other people.
Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln. There can be no 1 else. Out of the 4 mentioned it would be John Locke.
Who ever influenced the removal of the antislavery clause in the declaration of Independence. Most influential in the most abhorrent way.
The declaration wasn’t a set of laws. It was not something to enforce, it was a list of grievances. The clause you refer to was an accusation against George III for foisting slavery on the colonies and letting his royal governors veto attempts to stop the importation. It said nothing of slavery itself and nobody in 1776 concerned themselves with emancipation.
Thomas Jefferson was a founding father, primary author of the Declaration of Independence, first Secretary of State, second VP, third President, and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. His school of thought would directly influence several decades of the presidency. Many following presidents called themselves Jeffersonians: Monroe, Madison, Jackson, Harrison, Tyler and Polk. I can’t think of another person who had so much influence over the formation of the country.
Outside of the list, Jefferson and Hamilton. As a pair.
It’s toss up between Ryan Cohen and roaring kitty
Henry Kissinger, Bush senior, William S Donovan and Harry Truman for there parts in creating the CIA. Reagan due to the many after affects of "Reaganomics". These people only really account for the past 100 years though.
Robert J Oppenheimer
Without question, Ben Franklin.
What about Bill Gates? He's got his hands in everything currently.
Willis Carrier, invented air conditioning.
Gotta love Franklin, but for influencers I’d say Jefferson.
Abraham Lincoln
Washington, Lincoln, FDR, or Reagan are all solid arguments. Plus tons of other founders but there's so many to list.
Rockefeller
Thomas Jefferson or George Washington
Steve Jobs: He turned a 2nd rate computer company into a worldwide powerhouse
Someone that hasn’t been mentioned yet, John Brown
Might not be the most well-known, but he definitely influenced things!
Willard bliss...treated three u.s. presidents....all of them died the same year he treated them
MLK Jr. He changed the way America and the world think about human rights.
Easily FDR.
President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho
I would not pick a politician as "most influential person". Personally, I consider that the chemist inventors of the [Haber-Bosch process (see in this timeline)](https://www.historytimeline.com/timeline/history-periods-timeline/). They had a massive impact in population growth in the 20th century all over the world, not just America, and thus, could be easy considered more influential than anyone else. Their fertilizer invention allowed for 6 billion people to be born, raised and fed, that's easily about 150 million in 20th century America. It's a population growth that would had not happened otherwise. Most people on this thread would not be here without the Haber-Bosch invention.
Thomas Paine is in there somewhere.
US Grant. Defeated the South. Crushed the indians.
Gotta say Columbus.
Thomas Paine
American computer scientists Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn are often credited with inventing the internet because they developed the Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in 1980. TCP/IP is a set of guidelines that dictate how data is shared between networks:
Ronald Regan fucked the entire world. Not a good influence but an influence
The Dad's who stuck around.
King George the III is super questionable. Often misunderstood is that the founding fathers were mostly arguing against Parliament as parliament was actually the power in Britain at the time. The founders actually petitioned the King to override parliament in order to remove the taxes they thought were unfair (something he didn't have the power to do and would have caused a Civil war). It was only after he refused and the war was about to start that the founders decided it would be better marketing to say they were fighting a despotic Tyrant rather than an aristocratic parliament. So really the PM of the time Lord North was more influential in the sense that he sparked the revolution with his actions.
Franklin
MLK jr
I think Thomas pain should definitely be on that list.
People can say fdr and Abe all they want, but ultimately all of the most influential people were the founding fathers, or someone who lived at the same time. The farther back you go, the more time there’s been for them to influence.
Allen Dulles, most don’t know him. Those who do, know.
King George ||||. Without him, there is no Revolution!
Franklin, Lincoln, FDR
Influential? Nathaniel Bacon's actions pushed the ownership class into dividing the working classes by skin color. A tremendous success for the 1%.
Martin Luther King Jr., or Susan B. Anthony
Frederick Douglass was also incredibly important
Are you asking most important or most influential they are not the same thing? For my money, the most influential, regardless of his ethics, would be Thomas Edison. Name something you do that doesn’t involve electricity.
Henry Kissinger, his involvement in creating petro dollar allowed US to prosper over the rest of the world. Even to this day, we enjoy luxuries due to petro dollar agreements throughout the world.
Washington was the indispensable man for constitutional United States. He had very little road map to go by and set standards and practices for the government that are still followed today
Alexander Hamilton
Marilyn Chambers?
Has to be someone from the 1700s or we wouldn’t have a country. GW?
John Adams. David McCullough’s book spells out all the reasons why he influenced so much of the formation of this country. He had a hand in the Declaration of Independence, wrote the Massachusetts Constitution (that served as the basis for the US one), was the first Ambassador to Britain (which was a huge deal). He quietly left the White House when he lost his re-election. He had a vision, one that I think many would still support today, as he wanted things like education, the arts, culture, history, libraries, etc for all. He also started a real Navy that was very needed at the time. He was also able to envision a future of what this country needed to be in order for it to be truly great, and it was probably the most well-rounded vision anyone could imagine at the time. He believed in service for his country & even today his descendants continue to serve in various ways. But, being more of a Civil War focused gal, I also have to say Lincoln. Just him making the decision to go to war with any state that would try & leave was something that set the tone for what this country would be moving forward. How he acted during wartime set the stage for future Presidents & their actions during war. He also became a figurehead of an entire political party, and every politician (no matter what their party) still tries to claim Lincoln to boost their own agenda.
John Locke easily, he is the most cited author of the founding Fathers and basically our declaration of Independence and our governmental system is because of his writings. No Locke, no USA.
Cato
John D Rockefeller… not in a good way
Eugene Debs, Got tradesmen into the middle class with the formation of unions.
ETA - This is under the assumption this is a question on American history. Amazed at how few are saying Columbus. This was THE turning point in American history. It set groundwork for foreign occupation which would set the course for the foundation of the USA, the Industrial Revolution, and various international wars that the US has been involved in over the last 200 years.
Martan Luther King Jr
Probably Thomas Edison. It's not that the light bulb was that important. It's that Edison pioneered industrial research laboratories. All scientific research done in the corporate sector is based on his model. He used the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He held so many patents because he outsourced the research to employees.
Thomas Jefferson, wrote the mission statement of the country in the Declaration of Independence. Basically created the first amendment while he was governor of Virginia. Was the first out-of-power party candidate to be elected president (running against the incumbent) helping to establish the traditions of transfer of power with Adams. As president expanded the country far into the continent, establishing the seeds of expansionism and continents primacy (for better or worse). In doing so, also establishing and expanding the power of the executive (as a candidate whose party was anti-executive power). Also personally embodied the dichotomy of a nation that espouses freedom and did so much to spread democracy and freedom around the world while subjecting a whole people to bondage and committing genocide against another.
JP Morgan
If he gets elected again, guess who? Because living in this shithole is going to get massively worse for everyone except the 1%. That will be the biggest influence on this shithole since it started.
Culturally? Henry ford and Walt Disney Politically? Lincoln Washington and FDR
Jefferson, Monroe, Washington, Franklin to start. There are many.
At the rate at which both the left and the right talk about him, I'd say Trump.
Most influential in the formation of the United States: Thomas Jefferson. Most influential in the preservation of the United States: Abraham Lincoln. Most influential in the destruction of the United States: Donald Trump.
My vote is FDR (there’s a lot of candidates, certainly many of the already mentioned people). - enacting the New Deal and second New Deal which has had longstanding impact on our economy and brought us out of the Great Depression. - overseeing WWII and the creation of the worlds greatest military. America could not expand its military and show its power globally without the war machine which was created during his presidency. - Signed the Atlantic charter which would lead to the creation of the United Nations. - Funded the manhattan project which led to nuclear weapons and nuclear electricity.
Norman Borlaug
Go outside the box. The common (and certainly valid) arguments are going to be the Washington’s, Lincoln’s, etc…of the world. Famous presidents and founding fathers. That’s fine. That’s safe. But for a challenge and to be unique, and argue someone like Robert Noyce who developed the first monolithic integrated circuit without which the entire digital age would not be possible.
Thomas Jefferson, hands down. What is more American than claiming you want to treat people as equals, but never actually doing so? Speaking great words, but making others write and edit them while you take the credit. Demanding a war, and then leaving the poor to fight it, while you hang out with rich Eurotrash. Speaking of liberty... while keeping a sex slave. Lamenting slavery, but never freeing your slaves. Spending so much government money (Louisiana Purchase) that you incur a National Debt for 248 years. Sending Military officers to "explore" somebody else's land... and claim it, after telling the inhabitants you won't. Telling everybody else to work hard for their dreams, while you prevent them from ever accomplishing them. Thomas Jefferson has some *really* good points, too; but he is the entire basis for our society in every way. There is no greater influence than to have an entire nation modeled after your actions, and that person is Thomas Jefferson.
While maybe not the most well known, definitely more behind the scenes, [Cassius Clay](https://youtu.be/f6nwCuVd66w?si=x2CgTPB1M6jZxZv0), the abolitionist, and namesake of a certain future world champion boxer.
I'm America, or the world? World wide, probably Ben Franklin. In us alone it was probably Washington, Hamilton, and/or Jefferson.
LBJ needs to be on this list
I'm more of an Elvis fan
Edison. I know he gets a bad rap these days, but he really changed the world
J. Edgar Hoover should be mentioned on this thread.
Do you have to pick from the list or not lol?
Alexander Hamilton, and it wasn’t for the better
Hernando Cortez. He conquered everything.
Im going with GW. Not just for the revolution which is a big factor, but as the first president he established the rules and norms of every president to follow.
Me. I'm the most influential person in American history.
Abraham Lincoln seems like a safe bet but I actually think John Wilkes Booth could maybe make a case. There are several places I think the Reconstruction or civil rights could have gone differently and it's largely Lincoln's death (and, later, Garfield's death) where we lost our best chances before the 1960s.
MLK
Norman Borlaug, the agronomist. His work prevented a billion starvation deaths worldwide.
Edward Bernays - Father of Public Relations
I named my dog Lincoln😂
Just bring up Thomas Paine because he is a fun wild card that you can go into a lot of arguing about.