must know people Flashcards
1
Q
tokugawa ieyasu (1543-1616)
A
- Role: Founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
- Contribution: Unified Japan and established a long-lasting feudal regime, leading to over 250 years of peace and stability known as the Edo period.
2
Q
Peter the Great (1672-1725)
A
- Role: Tsar of Russia.
- Contribution: Modernized Russia, expanded its territory, and transformed it into a major European power through extensive reforms in government, military, and culture.
3
Q
Catherine the Great (1729-1796)
A
- Role: Empress of Russia.
- Contribution: Continued Peter the Great’s efforts to modernize Russia, expanded the empire, and was a patron of the arts, helping to usher in the Russian Enlightenment.
4
Q
John Locke (1632-1704)
A
- Role: English philosopher.
- Contribution: Father of liberalism, his ideas on natural rights and government by consent influenced the development of political philosophy and the American and French Revolutions.
5
Q
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
A
- Role: French political philosopher.
- Contribution: Articulated the theory of separation of powers, which became a cornerstone for modern democratic governance.
6
Q
Voltaire (1694-1778)
A
- Role: French Enlightenment writer and philosopher.
- Contribution: Advocated for civil liberties, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.
7
Q
Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
A
- Role: French philosopher and writer.
- Contribution: Principal editor of the Encyclopédie, which disseminated Enlightenment ideas.
8
Q
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
A
- Role: Genevan philosopher.
- Contribution: His ideas on social contract and individual freedom influenced the French Revolution and modern political and educational thought.
9
Q
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
A
- Role: English writer and advocate of women’s rights.
- Contribution: Authored “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy.
10
Q
William Wilberforce (1759-1833)
A
- Role: British politician.
- Contribution: Leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.
11
Q
Olympe de Gouges (1748-1793)
A
- Role: French playwright and political activist.
- Contribution: Authored the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, advocating for women’s rights during the French Revolution.
12
Q
Louis XVI (1754-1793)
A
- Role: King of France.
- Contribution: His reign ended with the French Revolution; he was executed during the Reign of Terror.
13
Q
Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794)
A
- Role: French revolutionary leader.
- Contribution: Key figure in the Reign of Terror; his leadership ended with his execution.
14
Q
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
A
- Role: French military and political leader.
- Contribution: Rose to prominence during the French Revolution, became Emperor of France, and enacted significant legal and administrative reforms (Napoleonic Code).
15
Q
Toussaint L’Ouverture (1743-1803)
A
- Role: Leader of the Haitian Revolution.
- Contribution: Led the first successful slave revolt, which resulted in Haiti becoming the first independent black republic.
16
Q
Simon Bolivar (1783-1830)
A
- Role: South American revolutionary leader.
- Contribution: Played a key role in the independence movements of several South American countries from Spanish rule.
17
Q
Jose de San Martin (1778-1850)
A
- Role: Argentine general and leader of South American independence.
- Contribution: Key figure in the independence of Argentina, Chile, and Peru from Spanish rule.
18
Q
Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898)
A
- Role: German statesman.
- Contribution: Unified Germany and served as its first Chancellor, using realpolitik and diplomacy
19
Q
Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882)
A
- Role: Italian nationalist and military leader.
- Contribution: Played a crucial role in the unification of Italy through his campaigns in southern Italy.
20
Q
camillo Cavour (1810-1861)
A
- Role: Italian statesman.
- Contribution: Architect of Italian unification, serving as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia and later unified Italy.
21
Q
Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)
A
- Role: Italian politician, journalist, and activist.
- Contribution: Propagated the idea of a united and republican Italy, influencing the Italian unification movement.
22
Q
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
A
- Role: Scottish economist and philosopher.
- Contribution: Author of “The Wealth of Nations,” laying the foundations of classical economics and free-market capitalism
23
Q
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
A
- Role: German philosopher, economist, and revolutionary.
- Contribution: Co-authored “The Communist Manifesto” and authored “Das Kapital,” foundational texts for Marxism and socialist movements
24
Q
Emperor Meiji (1852-1912)
A
- Role: Emperor of Japan.
- Contribution: Led Japan through the Meiji Restoration, transforming it from a feudal society into a modern industrialized nation.
25
Q
Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914)
A
- role: Heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
- Contribution: His assassination in 1914 triggered the outbreak of World War I.
26
Q
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
A
- Role: 28th President of the United States.
- Contribution: Led the U.S. during World War I and crafted the League of Nations concept, although the U.S. did not join.
27
Q
Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)
A
- Role: Leader of the Bolshevik Revolution.
- Contribution: Founded the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and led the October Revolution, establishing communist rule in Russia.
28
Q
Joseph Stalin (1878-1953)
A
- Role: Leader of the Soviet Union.
- Contribution: Ruled through totalitarian control, industrialized the Soviet Union, and led it through World War II.
29
Q
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
A
- Role: Führer of Nazi Germany.
- Contribution: Initiated World War II and perpetrated the Holocaust, resulting in the deaths of millions.
30
Q
Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)
A
- Role: Dictator of Italy.
- Contribution: Established a fascist regime and allied with Nazi Germany during World War II.
31
Q
Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989)
A
- Role: Emperor of Japan.
- Contribution: Reigned during World War II and Japan’s post-war recovery and modernization.
32
Q
Harry Truman (1884-1972)
A
- role: 33rd President of the United States.
- Contribution: Authorized the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the end of World War II.
33
Q
Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
A
- Role: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Contribution: Led Britain during World War II with his stirring oratory and steadfast leadership.
34
Q
Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940)
A
- Role: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Contribution: Known for his policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany, culminating in the Munich Agreement.
35
Q
A
36
Q
Fidel Castro (1926-2016)
A
- Role: Leader of the Cuban Revolution.
- Contribution: Established a communist state in Cuba and ruled as Prime Minister and President for nearly five decades.
36
Q
Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
A
- Role: 40th President of the United States.
- Contribution: Promoted conservative economic policies, increased military spending, and played a significant role in ending the Cold War.
36
Q
Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)
A
- Role: Vietnamese revolutionary leader.
- Contribution: Led the Viet Minh independence movement, becoming the key figure in the fight against French colonial rule and later against the United States during the Vietnam War
37
Q
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964)
A
- Role: First Prime Minister of India.
- Contribution: Key leader in the Indian independence movement and the architect of modern Indian state policies.
38
Q
Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022)
A
- Role: Last leader of the Soviet Union.
- Contribution: Initiated reforms like glasnost and perestroika, which led to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
39
Q
Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007)
A
- Role: First President of the Russian Federation.
- Contribution: Led Russia through the transition from Soviet rule to a market economy and democracy
40
Q
Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)
A
- Role: Leader of the Indian independence movement.
- Contribution: Advocated for non-violent civil disobedience, leading India to independence from British rule.
41
Q
Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972)
A
- Role: First Prime Minister and President of Ghana.
- Contribution: Led Ghana to independence in 1957 and promoted Pan-Africanism.
42
Q
Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978)
A
- Role: First Prime Minister and President of Kenya.
- Contribution: Led Kenya to independence and became its first President.
43
Q
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)
A
- Role: Anti-apartheid revolutionary and President of South Africa.
- Contribution: Fought against apartheid, was imprisoned for 27 years, and became South Africa’s first black President.
44
Q
Theodore Herzl (1860-1904)
A
- Role: Founder of modern political Zionism.
- Contribution: Advocated for the establishment of Israel.
45
Q
Mao Zedong (1893-1976)
A
- Role: Leader of the Chinese Communist Party and founding father of the People’s Republic of China.
- Contribution: Led the Communist revolution and established the People’s Republic of China.
46
Q
Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997)
A
- Role: Chinese revolutionary and statesman.
- Contribution: Implemented economic reforms that transformed China’s economy.
47
Q
Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938)
A
- Role: Founder of modern Turkey.
- Contribution: Implemented extensive modernization and secularization reforms.
48
Q
Shah Pahlavi (1919-1980)
A
- Role: Last Shah of Iran.
- Contribution: Known for modernization efforts and autocratic rule.
49
Q
Ayatollah Khomeini (1902-1989)
A
- Role: Iranian religious leader and revolutionary.
- Contribution: Led the 1979 Iranian Revolution and established the Islamic Republic of Iran.
50
Q
Norman Borlaug (1914-2009)
A
- Role: American agronomist and humanitarian.
- Contribution: Father of the Green Revolution, developed high-yielding crops to combat hunger.
51
Q
Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006)
A
- Role: Dictator of Chile.
- Contribution: Led a military coup, known for human rights abuses and economic reforms.
52
Q
Slobodan Milosevic (1941-2006)
A
- Role: President of Serbia and Yugoslavia.
- Contribution: Known for actions during the Yugoslav Wars and war crimes.
53
Q
Pol Pot (1925-1998)
A
- Role: Leader of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
- Contribution: Responsible for the Cambodian genocide.
54
Q
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
A
- Role: Roman Catholic nun and missionary.
- Contribution: Founded the Missionaries of Charity, helping the poor and sick.
55
Q
Aung San Suu Kyi (1945-)
A
- Role: Burmese politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- Contribution: Leader of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, later criticized for handling the Rohingya crisis.
56
Q
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
A
- Role: Argentine human rights group.
- Contribution: Advocated for justice for disappeared children during the Dirty War
