Meeting of the Minds Historical Figures

Basic Biographies and Methods

Pharaoh Akhenaton

• Location: Egypt• # of Years Ago: 3,335• Role Challenged:

King, priest, worshiper, woman

• Method: Command• Strengths: Universal,

immediate• Weaknesses:

Dependent upon power

Command: Giving orders that must be followed.

Modern Examples: Decrees, Laws

Joan of Arc

• Location: France• # of Years Ago: 580• Role Challenged:

Peasant, female• Method: Direct

confrontation• Strengths: Fast• Weaknesses:

Dangerous

Direct Confrontation: Attacking a problem head-on

and without compromise.Modern Examples:

Letter/Email writing, Phone Calls, Public Protest

Galileo Galilei

• Location: Italy• # of Years Ago: 369

• Role Challenged:

Scientist• Method: Subversion• Strengths: Avoids

direct confrontation• Weaknesses: Slow,

indirect

Subversion: Cleverly undermining authority.

Modern Examples: The Daily Show, Anonymous

Susan B. Anthony

• Location: Northeast, USA

• # of Years Ago: 105• Role Challenged:

Woman• Method: Founding

Organizations, Civil Disobedience

• Strengths: Long Lifespan, Rational

• Weaknesses: Slow, Dangerous

Formal Organization: A group of people with an official purpose and a

structure that allows for consistency in leadership

over time. Modern Examples: NAACP, ACLU

Civil Disobedience: Non-violently and publicly

refusing to obey certain laws in order to make a point.

Modern Examples: WikiLeaks

Harvey Milk

• Location: California• # of Years Ago: 33• Role Challenged:

Homosexuals• Method: Building

Coalitions• Strengths: Diverse,

large, relatively quick

• Weaknesses: Hard to maintain

Coalition: A temporary partnership between

separate groups to achieve a common goal.

Modern Examples: “The Coalition of the Willing”

Comparison of Historical Figures

Figure Success achieved during lifetime

Challenge caused early death

Significant lasting impact on society

Some lasting impact on society

No lasting impact on society

Pharaoh Akhenaton

Joan of Arc

Galileo Galilei

Susan B. Anthony

Harvey Milk