A look at major events that happened a long time ago and the people who played the biggest roles in shaping the world as we know it.

Historical Facts & Figures

The most creative, brilliant, and difficult doozies that left us scratching our heads.

Riddle Me This

Jeopardy!

If you've ever watched Jeopardy!, you know that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/triple-stumper-hardest-jeopardy-questions-2020/jgu">some questions are harder </a>than others. Well, some answers are harder than others - but you know what we mean.&nbsp;When it comes to questions about people, however, an additional difficulty may arise. Regardless of the category, a question about an individual can appear. It may be a politician, artist, musician, performer… the list goes on.&nbsp;Maybe that's why <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jeopardy-behind-the-scenes/setareh-janda">Jeopardy</a>! questions about historical figures are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jeopardy-history-questions-champions-missed/melissa-sartore">so challenging.</a> Almost anyone and everyone is, in theory, fair game.&nbsp;We found that to be true and had a hard time answering many of the questions here. Test your knowledge and see how you do!

FKA Pushable Teams

Srch

Tier 2

WH Team

Google News

Apple News

Format

Tag Wizard

SEO Content Team

Archive Future Social

Do Not Delete - Account

Do Not Delete - Cleaned

Do Not Delete - Quality Filters

Revite - Discover

Discover

The Most Mind-Bending 'Jeopardy!' Questions About Historical Figures

General

The 17 Hardest 'Jeopardy!' Questions About Historical Figures, Ranked

Melissa Sartore

Dr. Seuss

Known to the world as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dr-seuss-facts/tamar-altebarmakian">Dr. Seuss</a>, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, MA, on March 2, 1904. His first book,&nbsp;And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, made its debut in 1937, and he would continue to publish classics for several decades thereafter.&nbsp;Under their cartoonish and fantastical veneer, Dr. Seuss's stories seem to have a deeper or darker meaning -&nbsp;a quality&nbsp;that&nbsp;also appears to be true of his personal life. While there's no denying the author's enormous contribution to children's literature, some of his private and public actions may leave you disturbed.

cleanup_exclude

instagram_posted

Adult Content: Language

Meta Exclude

Trending on Ranker

primis_weirdhistory

Finished Forever

Archive Needs SEO

Archive Node Image Cleanup

Archive Needs Editorial

Dark Facts We Learned About Dr. Seuss's Past That Made Us Cringe

Dark Facts We Discovered About Dr. Seuss's Past

Stephan Roget

Edward I of England

Edward I (actually the fourth, but who&#39;s counting?)&nbsp;is familiar to most as the antagonist in the 1995 film Braveheart. Played to malevolent perfection by veteran Irish actor Patrick McGoohan, Edward is typically remembered as a tyrannical but brutally effective ruler. A more restrained portrayal of an aging ruler by Stephen Dillane can be seen in 2018&#39;s&nbsp;Outlaw King,&nbsp;but there have been no major portrayals&nbsp;of Edward&#39;s rule as a whole or of him in his prime.

The real Edward I was&nbsp;one of the most influential monarchs to ever take the English throne. His lengthy reign shaped the course of not only English history, but also Scottish and Welsh history for years to come.&nbsp;

He lived an eventful life&nbsp;full of adventure, intrigue, innovation, and savage cruelty against those who opposed him. This collection showcases some of the most interesting details of Edward&#39;s life that haven&#39;t been shown on screen. Yet.&nbsp;

Tier 1

Ranker Prime

Genre

Nerd Audience

Archive Ignore

Everything 'Braveheart' Gets Wrong About King Edward And Scottish History

'Braveheart' Historical Inaccuracies About King Edward I

Melissa  Sartore

Wild facts and fascinating photos from history that made us say "whoa!"

More History This a-Way

Weird History

Celebrities, politicians, and other famous figures&nbsp;pass each and every day - sometimes unexpectedly at a young age, sometimes after living very long lives. The final moments of famous figures, especially those who meet a quick and sudden end, are often of interest to&nbsp;contemporaries and historians alike. Whether it&#39;s the last places historical figures&nbsp;visited or the final people well-known celebrities&nbsp;spoke to, finding out more about these endmost&nbsp;events&nbsp;may provide solace, a sense of familiarity, or a modicum of understanding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The last meals of historical figures similarly provide fascinating insight&nbsp;into their final moments. What did Abraham Lincoln eat before he <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-was-in-lincolns-pockets/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">went to Ford&#39;s Theatre</a>? What was on the menu the day Princess Diana died? These things are known and, at times, there are even recipes. Take a look at some of the foods historical figures ate before they died and decide which ones sound like deliciously fitting final meals.&nbsp;

Top Tier

Exclude_MobileApp

instream

The Last Meals Of 15 Historical Figures

The Last Meals of 10 Music Legends

History

Hollywood loves a good biopic. But many of the same stories get told over and over again - think of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/who-was-henry-viii/carly-silver">Henry VIII</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/lincoln-assassination-facts/setareh-janda">Abraham Lincoln</a> - even though there are plenty of lesser-known, unsung <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://m.ranker.com/list/people-who-should-have-biopics/matthewcoleweiss">historical figures who deserve a movie</a> about their lives, too.Just because a&nbsp;historical figure may not be widely known doesn't mean their story isn't worth telling. In fact, films are a great&nbsp;- if not strictly accurate - way to&nbsp;introduce&nbsp;people to lesser-known figures. That's certainly true of movies like&nbsp;Hidden Figures,&nbsp;Ammonite, and&nbsp;The Imitation Game, which helped 21st-century folks get to know historical figures Katherine Johnson, Mary Anning, and Alan Turing.Similarly, the people on this list should have their stories told, too. From <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/adrian-de-carton-wiart-unkillable-soldier/setareh-janda">soldiers who exemplified military chutzpah</a> to writers who demonstrated that the pen is mightier than the sword, these historical figures lived epic&nbsp;lives that would be compelling fodder for biopics.

Amazon Alexa

About Topic

Fascinating

Nebulous

16 Lesser-Known Historical Figures Who Deserve Their Own Biopic

Person

Setareh Janda

Since the dawn of civilization, a lot of important things have happened. Here are lists of about the many winding routes we took to get where we are today.

Historical Contexts

Trending Today

Wild Facts

The chain of command and obeying orders are two concepts that are essential to military success. But military history is still full of people who disobeyed orders. Armies are made up of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/adrian-de-carton-wiart-unkillable-soldier/setareh-janda" target="_blank">individuals</a>, and regardless of the time period or culture, there are always people who buck the system.&nbsp;

The reasons soldiers have disobeyed are as varied as the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-military-units/jim-rowley" target="_blank">world&#39;s militaries themselves</a>. Many have refused commands that they personally found objectionable, like Col. Raoul Berube, the WWI commander who refused to fire on his troops for their perceived cowardice. With others, like Union General Daniel Sickles in the Civil War, their reasons had more to do with their own glory. And sometimes,&nbsp;soldiers have disobeyed because their&nbsp;orders were too cautious,&nbsp;as Australian Lt. Thomas Derrick did during the Battle of Sattelberg in 1943.

Here are some times people disregarded orders -&nbsp;and changed history along the way.

primis_weirdhistoryfood

11 Times People Disregarded Orders And Changed History

Jim Rowley

Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who went by the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-mark-twain/lisa-a-flowers" target="_blank">pen name Mark Twain</a>,&nbsp;was a renowned American writer and humorist. His&nbsp;literary classics include&nbsp;The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But Twain had a little-known affection for young women and considered himself a &quot;collector&quot; of preteen and teenage girls.&nbsp;Beginning in 1908, Twain established the Aquarium Club, a members-only organization consisting of himself and 13 girls all below the age&nbsp;of 16. He called them his &quot;angelfish,&quot; and he&nbsp;enjoyed&nbsp;visiting&nbsp;and exchanging&nbsp;letters with them.&nbsp;Twain even dedicated a room in his Connecticut house to the club. Although Twain defended the club's innocence, his love of young girls raised some red flags among his family and community.

Mark Twain Had A Seeming Obsession With Young Girls That Would Land A Modern Figure In Hot Water

Mark Twain Had A Shocking Obsession With Young Girls That Would Land Any Modern Public Figure In Hot Water

Rob Chirico

Biopics

Over 900 music fans have voted to shape these rankings of the best music biopics of all time. With its unique blend of documentary and drama, a great music biopic can transport you into the world of your favorite artist - their struggles, successes, and everything in between.

From the Ray Charles&#39;s&nbsp;Ray&nbsp;to Johnny Cash&#39;s Walk The Line, some of cinema&#39;s most memorable films have been based on real-life musicians. It takes real skill for filmmakers to capture an artist&rsquo;s essence while keeping them grounded in reality, but when they succeed it results in cinematic magic - moments that stay with us long after the credits roll.

For those who want a more accurate portrait than fiction can provide, there are plenty of documentaries about famous musicians available too. Whether it&#39;s Queen or Elton John that you&#39;re interested in learning more about, this list has something for everyone.&nbsp;So why not take a look at our ranking and see which music biopics come out on top? Then be sure to vote up your favorites so they rise even higher.

longtail_search

watchworthy_treatment

Flagship Poll

Scalable Cleanup

primis_nerdstalgic

SNet_Update

Revite Bulk Scrape

SEO Node Blather

The Best Music Biopics Of All Time

Film

Ranking The Best Music Biopics Ever Made

Ranker Film

The way we view the past is shaped by the present. As societal attitudes and values shift over time, the legacies of historical figures change as they are reevaluated. Some of these changes are dramatic - individuals&nbsp;once viewed positively&nbsp;have had darker aspects of their past come to light. For others, the reverse is true; those who were reviled and divisive in their own lives enjoy a resurgence in popularity after their passing.

<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-abraham-lincoln-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">Abraham Lincoln</a> might be highly regarded by most people today, but he was a deeply polarizing figure in his own time. Historical legacies can also vary greatly depending on whom you ask. While <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-queen-victoria-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">Queen Victoria</a> remains quite popular in Britain and the more autonomous parts of the British Empire, the areas that came under harsh colonial rule naturally view those years quite differently.&nbsp;

This collection examines <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/important-figures-from-each-us-state/ella-talkin?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">prominent historical figures</a> whose reputation has changed with the times and how some individuals are regarded quite differently in the present than they were in their own lifetimes.&nbsp;

How Perceptions Of Major Historical Figures Have Changed Over Time

M. Muir

Lists about period between the 15th and 18th centuries, when worldwide exploration, colonialism, and mercantilism brought the first periods of globalization.

The Age of Discovery

Lists of fascinating facts and lesser-known details about the lives of people whose names you learned in History class (or should have).

Down in History

Christopher Columbus

Columbus Day has become an occasion not just to celebrate the first steps toward founding America, but a time to re-examine what we know about the famed explorer. The accomplishments of Christopher Columbus are myriad and well-known, but much of his life's story, as well as his subsequent voyages to the Americas, is lost in mythos and misconception. While he did in fact &quot;sail the ocean blue&quot; in 1492, the biography of Christopher Columbus is filled with obscure facts and historical oddities that never make it into any school nursery rhyme - or even into many textbooks. Many people still believe that Columbus set out from Spain to prove the Earth was round - but we know he didn't. We also believe he made peaceful contact with the natives of what he thought was India - but he didn't, and he actually believed he'd reached the mythical land of Japan.Could he have even made it there? What about his other trips to the New World? Or his revisionist reputation for brutality and cruel treatment of the natives? Here are some facts about Columbus that, despite decades of re-examination, most people don't know.

Christopher Columbus Facts They Don't Teach in School

20 Christopher Columbus Facts They Didn't Teach You In School

Mike Rothschild

Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Elisabeth of Austria&nbsp;was one of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-warrior-queens-in-history/carly-silver">most powerful monarchs</a> of the 19th century. Remarkably beautiful, Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi, defied Austrian court traditions. She traveled often and became a beloved figure in both Austria and Hungary.&nbsp;Elisabeth was very concerned with her looks; she engaged in strange beauty rituals and aggressive exercise routines. Elisabeth's iconoclastic ways resulted in&nbsp;her bizarre death at the hands of an anarchist.

Ticker Exclude

The Tragic Life Of Elisabeth Of Austria

Phil Gibbons

Deep dives into unforgettable film characters and the situations they experience, manipulate, and endure.

People on the Big Screen

Watchworthy

Period pieces can be a lot of fun when you&#39;re in the mood. That being said, isn&#39;t it more enjoyable when production teams bring actual historical figures into entirely fictional films? It just brings an ineffable kind of spark to the proceedings. Appearances like this can be used to lend&nbsp;an air of authenticity to the picture - like Nikola Tesla in&nbsp;The Prestige -&nbsp;or used to tell completely fabricated stories, like Abraham Lincoln in&nbsp;Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Then there are movies like&nbsp;Bill &amp; Ted&#39;s Excellent Adventure&nbsp;and&nbsp;Midnight in Paris,&nbsp;where historical figures are a dime a dozen. Whatever the case, it&#39;s hard not to&nbsp;love the kinds of stories in which real people show up in fabricated tales. Remember to vote up your favorites.

tribune

TN Team

14 Times A Real Historical Figure Is A Character In An Extremely Fictional Movie

Real Historical Figures Who Were Characters In Extremely Fictional Movies

T.W. Mitchell

In times of crisis, core beliefs can often take a back seat to more immediate goals. Even a sworn <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/states-always-fighting/michael-muir" target="_blank">religious or political&nbsp;foe</a> can seem like a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-allies/michael-muir" target="_blank">friend in a pinch</a>. Sometimes the cooperation stems from a mutual enemy;&nbsp;at other moments, the bigger prize is worth the cost of helping a rival.

From the uneasy coalition of Romans and Barbarian&nbsp;kingdoms that stood against Attila, to the American and German rescue mission in the dying days of World War II, this collection&nbsp;looks at the strangest historical partnerships.

10 Historical Rivals Who Became Friends (For A While)

Historical Figures

Whether&nbsp;a simple shortening of someone&#39;s given name or a way of describing a person&#39;s personality or behavior, nicknames have been a part of cultures all over the world for centuries. And no matter whether someone is a&nbsp;historical figure&nbsp;or not, a nickname can be&nbsp;flattering or scathing, funny or serious, obvious or surprising.&nbsp;

The historical figures below were tagged with nicknames that ranged from &quot;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-roman-emperor-facts/pierce-nahigyan" target="_blank">Little Boots</a>&quot; and &quot;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-george-s-patton-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">The Green Hornet</a>&quot; to &quot;The Black Swallow of Death&quot; and &quot;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/biggest-badasses-in-history/chase-christy" target="_blank">The Boneless</a>.&quot; Of the nicknames listed below, which would you prefer to be remembered by for the rest of time?

Stories Behind Historical Nicknames That Totally Surprised Us

TGWrites

If you come at the king, you’d best not miss, and if you do succeed, you’d better be ready to look over your shoulder for the rest of your days. Even when a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-do-military-coups-happen/megan-summers">conspiracy to topple a king</a> actually succeeds, that doesn’t mean things worked out for the perpetrators. Regicide often comes with unforeseen costs.&nbsp;This collection looks at the times when historical backstabbers got way more than they bargained for.&nbsp;

10 Historical Backstabs That Backfired Big Time

Lists about the family, life, and tragic end of one of America's most popular and controversial figures, 35th President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963).

The Rise and Fall of Camelot

Since an older generation <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kennedy-family-tree-2236644">immigrated to the US</a> from Ireland in the 1840s, the Kennedy family has developed into arguably the most prominent political dynasty of the country. Dubbed America's royal family, their wealth, style, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dark-kennedy-family-stories/lyra-radford">tragedies, and scandals</a> have long captivated the public, particularly after the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy cemented their “Camelot” mythology.Of course, it also doesn't hurt that many of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/members-of-the-kennedy-family/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Kennedy family members</a> aren't bad to look at. Ranked <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hottest-us-presidents/carly-kiel">the no. 1 hottest US president</a> (as of 2024), JFK is one mere example of the Kennedy family's historically attractive legacy. Many Kennedy descendants have wed other beautiful celebrities (some of these non-blood Kennedys included on this list like Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger), which has only upped the pulchritude of the gene pool. Some, like Jack Schlossberg (JFK's only grandson) draw comparisons to other immortalized family faces, in this case JFK Jr., Schlossberg's late uncle.So, say what you want about the Kennedys and their politics, their personalities, their accomplishments, and their misdeeds. Love them or hate them, you can still partake in some simple appreciation of good-looking faces. While there are a lot of Kennedy descendants to sort through as of 2024, the collection rounds up some of the most notable hotties of the family for your perusal and consideration. You may not get the privileges and perks of being a Kennedy in day-to-day life, but in this list, the power's all yours. Have your say on which Kennedy family members are easiest on the eyes.

Tier 3 beg 2024

Attractiveness Bucket

Images Audited

Traffic Team

Finished Upkeep Timely

90-Day SEO Check

The Hottest Kennedy Family Members, Ranked

Elle Tharp

Historical Figures lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of historical figures lists and rankings

Historical Figures lists on Ranker

Adolf Hitler

Josef Fritzl

Daniel Camargo Barbosa

When discussing the worst people in history, it's a somber reflection on the depths of human evil. From tyrants to serial killers, these figures have left indelible marks on the world through their heinous actions. While the term "worst" might be subjective, there's no denying the immense impact these individuals have had on countless lives and historical events.Consider Adolf Hitler, the man behind the atrocities of the Holocaust and the driving force of World War II. His actions led to the suffering and death of millions. Then there's Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the architect of the September 11 attacks, whose plans caused one of the most devastating terror attacks in modern history. Dennis Rader, infamously known as the BTK Killer, haunted Wichita, Kansas for decades with his gruesome murders, embodying the kind of evil only seen in horror films.Curious to know where these terrible people rank among their peers? Scroll through our list and cast your vote on who you believe are the most evil individuals to have ever lived. Engage with this eye-opening compilation and help shape the understanding of bad people in history who have, unfortunately, left their dark legacies behind.