How well do you know these famous Americans?
Pilots, writers, scientists and astronauts from the United States changed the world. Six questions, from easy to hard, with explanations.
Did you know?
- Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham after a bet with his publisher that he could not write a book using only 50 different words. He won the bet, and the book became one of his bestsellers.
- Sally Ride was also the youngest American to have traveled into space at the time of her 1983 flight, at age 32. After leaving NASA, she started a company to create science programs for students.
- Mark Twain was born in 1835, when Halley's Comet was visible, and he predicted he would die when it returned. He died in 1910, one day after the comet's closest approach to the Sun.
People who shaped American history and culture
Americans from many backgrounds have made their mark on science, exploration, literature and the arts. Some became famous in their own lifetimes, while others received wider recognition only decades later. Their stories often involve overcoming obstacles and taking risks, and they continue to inspire people in the United States and around the world.
Pioneers of flight
The United States produced many aviation pioneers. Amelia Earhart set several flying records before she disappeared over the Pacific in 1937, and Bessie Coleman became the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot's license, in 1921.
Writers and storytellers
American writers have created stories read worldwide. Mark Twain used humor and everyday speech to capture life along the Mississippi, and Dr. Seuss turned rhymes and imaginative drawings into books that help children learn to read.
Scientists and inventors
Scientists such as George Washington Carver used research to solve practical problems. Carver was born into slavery in Missouri and became a respected teacher and researcher at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
Explorers of space
Space exploration created new heroes. Sally Ride inspired a generation of young scientists, and later astronauts spent months aboard the International Space Station, carrying out experiments in orbit.
Hidden figures
Some important contributors worked behind the scenes. Mathematicians at NASA, including Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, did vital calculations for the space program, and their work became widely known only decades later.
Lasting influence
Many famous Americans are honored on stamps, coins, schools and awards. Their achievements remind people that curiosity, hard work and courage can change what seems possible.
Learning from their lives
Biographies, museums and historic homes help people learn about famous Americans. Visitors can tour Mark Twain's boyhood home in Hannibal, Missouri, see aircraft at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, or read Dr. Seuss's books in dozens of languages.