Historical Figures Essay Examples and Topics

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481 samples

Tips for Writing a Historical Figures Essay

If you’re working on a paper about a famous historical figure who inspires you, essay writing should start with thorough research. Conduct a study on this person’s biography with a focus on them and their life. Make sure you not only cover their life but also evaluate it, demonstrating your understanding of the historical figure essay format.

And keep in mind these few tricks below! They will help you achieve better structure and give you more ideas for your inspirational people and historical figures essay.

Tip #1

When writing essays on biographical studies, you should be using many types of sources.

This requirement means that your paper should reference books, autobiographical evidence, and maybe even paintings and voice recordings. Having supporting information on the history of the period that you are studying is also essential.

Tip #2

Sources of a personal nature, such as a person’s letters, memoirs, and diaries, are valuable, and you should use them in your essay. However, you must also be aware that they may be biased, portraying the person writing them in a much better light.

Do not be afraid to be critical of what you read and, if other trusted authors support your concerns, voice them in your essay. An excellent example of a biography essay is one that does not mindlessly praise their subject.

Tip #3

Covering biographical studies topics requires using sources that may give your subject a negative evaluation. Having titles in your bibliography that oppose the character you are writing about makes your essay well rounded and comprehensive.

Taking the many personalities of the female suffrage movement in the USA as a sample topic, you could use books on both sides of the votes for women argument.

Find more ideas for writing better essays on Biographical Studies on our website!

481 Best Essay Examples on Historical Figures

Michael Jackson: His Life and Career

His father was a guitarist and he wanted his children to succeed in the music industry that served as an inspiration to the young Michael.
  • 5
  • Pages: 11
  • Words: 2773

Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership

This report is an analysis of the behaviour and leadership style of Ghandi, the transactional and transformative aspects of his leadership and the way he used the power he had to help India gain Independence.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2039

Napoleon Bonaparte’s Role in the French Revolution

Despite the outstanding development, Napoleon stayed in the position of the second lieutenant for six years; it was not until the beginning of the French Revolution that he was able to advance his career in [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1956

Was Christopher Columbus an Imperialist?

The travel narratives of Christopher Columbus were given in the Letter and Journal of Columbus. The Letter by Columbus was addressed to his mentors namely Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, is not just a narrative [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1361

Leonardo Da Vinci

The other great work by Leonardo is the Mona Lisa, which he painted in the 1500s, and it is arguably one of the most famous paintings in the world to date.
  • 3.3
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1355

Who was Pedro Calosa?

This Church was also referred to as the church of poor Filipinos as well as the oppressed. The revolt was known as Tayug Colorum and deplored the feudal system for poor land tenure without success.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 303

Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson Comparison

The two presidents managed to contribute to the development of the country in different ways. However, both of them managed to contribute greatly to the development of the USA and its empowerment.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 295

Napoleon: A Child and Destroyer of the Revolution

The fathers of the revolution wanted to make the people free by destroying the "absolute monarchy" in the country. Napoleon supported the same idea by established new policies to safeguard the needs of the people."He [...]
  • 3.6
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 594

“Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” by Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's speech about women's rights effectively convinces her audience that women rights are an indispensable part of human rights through the use of logical argument, repetition, historical facts, and emotional stories.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1084

The Probable Cause of Marilyn Monroe’s Death

She had many lovers, many admirers, she associated with the rich and powerful, but in the end, she was so emotionally and psychologically troubled that when she died in 1962, with bottles of drugs beside [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1916

Isaac Newton, Mathematician and Scientist

Through his private studies Newton was able to discover numerous theories the primary ones being calculus, optics, the foundation of the theory of light and color, and the law of gravitation.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1161

Cornell McBride Sr.’s Biography

Hence, the essay elaborates on the biography and milestones in Cornell McBride, Sr's career as a Black entrepreneur in the haircare industry.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 580

Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass’ Comparison

He was challenged in the area of writing and was incapacitated without the skill and ability to write letters to Mr. He was then to be imprisoned, and inside the four walls of the prison, [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1488

Albert Einstein: The Life of a Genius

During the period around the First World War, Einstein was among the individuals that were against the usage of violence in resolution of conflicts.
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2763

Napoleon: Leadership Style

The extremely high level of fragmentation peculiar to Europe at that era and the absence of the single perspective on France and its growing power provided him with the time needed to create a powerful [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 554

Joseph Haydn’s Contract With the Esterhazy Court

Joseph Haydn's contract for work at the Esterhazy Court is a distinctive document that needs to be preserved because it explains the authorities' attitudes to the music and composers in the eighteenth century.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 405

Pablo Escobar Is a Robin Hood or a Villain

Specifically, the paper focuses on Pablo Escobar as a noble bandit who retaliates against the Colombian and American government through his involvement in the trafficking of cocaine and how he uses his wealth to benefit [...]
  • Pages: 15
  • Words: 3536

Ned Kelly as an Iconic Figure

The life of Ned Kelly continuously attracts the attention of Australian historians, anthropologists and even sociologists, because to a large extent, this person has become a part of the national culture.
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2300

Heroes – Nelson Mandela

Instead, Mandela chose to remain behind the bars for the rest of his life and by putting his feet down in defense of his people's rights, his long struggle would finally grant South Africans their [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 786

Sonni Ali: The King of the Songhai Empire

Madogo, an influential army boss and the Gao's Tenth si, protected and supervised the growth of Ali and showcased to him how to use the incantation power when he attained an age to be referred [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 952

Role Model: Nelson Mandela

Through the African National Congress party, Mandela was determined to undergo any form of suffering for the sake of the South Africans blacks who were facing a lot of suffering at the hand of apartheid.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1652

The Egyptian Pharaoh vs. US President Comparison

The Pharaoh was each temple's high priest in Egypt and was the earthly representative of the Egyptian gods. The President is the head of State and does not meddle in Church/ religious affairs.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 658

Odysseus Strengths and Weaknesses

He was a legendary king of Ithaca and arguably the hero in the poem called Homer. He was diplomatic and his skills came to the fore when disagreements arose in the war camps.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 568

Johannes Junius: Accusation of Witchcraft

The document is about the interrogation of Johannes Junius who was accused of witchcraft during the craze of 1628. He then requested to confront his witnesses and continued to deny his involvement in witchcraft after [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 603

Bill Gates: Life and Contributions

To have a clear indication of what the other part of the world needed, the couple toured Africa in 1995, and they resolved to donate part of their wealth to help the poor Africans.
  • 5
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2253

Mandela’s Leadership

He used his power to better the lives of the public in South Africa and set an example of selfless leadership.
  • 3.7
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2108

Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress

Mandela as well as many other Africans was in favor of the major goals of the organization. 2 The organization was very close to African people as it was formed by Africans and for Africans.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 566

Napoleon Bonaparte and Its Revolutions

In fact, by the time of his death, napoleon had acquired vast wealth due to his own ability and by the sheer luck of being in the right place at the right time.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 965

Julius Caesar and Rome

Julius also lost support from the Senate because he was perceived as a leader of the masses rather than the aristocrats. To some extent, Caesar was a statesman because he cared about the needs of [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1288

Hitler: A Study in Tyranny by Alan Bullock

The subject of the book under study is the historic personality of Adolf Hitler, the person who managed to change the flow of the European history of the twentieth century, the person who caused the [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1399

Fidel Castro: The Cult of Personality

Castro is a popular personality whose leadership adds greatly to the popularity of the Communist Party of Cuba in that he has helped maintain the party in power for half a century and has quelled [...]
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2367

Fatima bint Muhammad, the Daughter of a Prophet

Her position in Islam was reaffirmed by the Prophet who considered Fatima as one of the most significant women in Islam alongside the Pharaoh's wife Asiya, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the Prophet's wife, [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1258

Chinese History – Empress Wu Zhao

2 This essay focuses on discussing the social and political life of Empress Wu Zhao, as the first Chinese empress in the Chinese history and her special contribution to the Tang Dynasty and the uprising [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1399

George Appo’s Autobiography

At the 'Sing Sing' prison, where he served most of his sentences, Appo describes the brutality and torture he and the other convicts experienced at the hands of the guards.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1403

Angelina Jolie, Her Life and Behavior

Since the two separated when the actress was still a youth and the mother decided to migrate to New York and stay with her, she learnt a lot from her mother about relationships and it [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1513

Dr. Jeffrey Stephen Wigand

Wigand is known as a good and fair scientist, who cares about people, promotes healthy style of life, does not afraid to argue about harm of smoking, being a part of a tobacco industry, and [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 598

William Ayers nd the Members of Weather Underground

One of their children named Zyad reflected in a book by the title Hope of The Unseen. William Ayers defined socialism as a rejection to the white dominion power and empire, the opposite of imperialism.
  • Pages: 15
  • Words: 4182

Moshweshewe: Letter to Sir George Grey

The letter provided for the discussion was written in 1858 by Moshweshewe to Sir George High Commissioner of the Cape Colony to gain British mediation and support to dissolve the territorial contradictions with Boers.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 665

Genghis Khan: Style of Leadership

By the time of Genghis Khan's death in 1227, Mongol Empire was stretching from the easternmost shores of China to the Caspian Sea.
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 3104

Caesar Augustus – The First Roman Emperor

In 43 BC Augustus went for war together with consuls Hirtius and Pansa against Anthony, he managed to defeat Anthony army, however he lost both of the consuls leaving him in full command of the [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1548

Nathaniel Bacon’s Declaration of the People

Although the rebellion was defeated, many of the demands made by the rebels were complied with soon after, in order to pacify the population and improve the public image of Virginia's ruling elite.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 566

Three Names of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela's first name reveals the way the people of South Africa cherished their tribal traditions in the beginning of the twentieth century.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 574

Khalid Ibn Al Walid

He was a wealthy chief of one of the villages in Makkah and a trader of the Bani Makhzum clan which was among the three noblest and leading clans of the Quraish People.
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  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1551

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth is credited for various reforms that she advocated and pushed for while she was still active and in various positions she was able to secure in the course of her life.
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  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1377

Socrates: His Life, Philosophy, & Death

The Philosopher, Socrates was a Greek and he was born in the proximities of 470 B. Much of the philosophy and life of Socrates is explained by Plato in his dialogues.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 571

John F. Kennedy Assassination

John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination is considered to be one of the most mysterious events in the history of the United States of America.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1138

Carl Friedrich Gauss: The Greatest Mathematician

According to Jeremy John, Gauss' teachers and parents recommended him to the Duke of Burnswick in 1791, who financially helped him to continue his education locally and further at the University of Gottingen from 1795 [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1262

John Brown and His Beliefs About Slavery

John Brown was a martyr, his last effort to end slavery when he raided Harper's Ferry helped to shape the nation and change the history of slavery in America.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1311

Alfred Marshall and His Contribution to Economics

The opening sentence in the Principles of Economics is a classic definition of the subject itself: "Political economy or economics is a study of mankind in the ordinary business of life; it examines that part [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1107

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American Essayist

In "Power", Emerson emphasizes the significance of vital energy and the sentiment of power as a criterion of validity. In "Domestic Life" Emerson outlines the philosophical concept of a house and his thoughts on hospitality.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1451

Cleopatra – The Queen of Egypt

The queen wanted the assistance of Caesar, and thus she found a way of going to the Regal citadel to speak to Caesar and request for her cause for action.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1137

“Nelson Mandela, Autobiography” Book

Mandela states that, as a leader, an individual should consider the outcomes of the circumstance and not the tactics to be used in addressing the issue.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1132

Researching of Mark Zuckerberg’s Creativity

The essay presents the life events of Mark Zuckerberg that demonstrate his creativity and success in his career. Later on, Zuckerberg and three of his friends, Divya, Cameron, and Tyler, collaborated to create a social [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1173

Dinner Party of Historical Founders of Three Countries

Finally, William the Conqueror would be a good company for Washington and Qasim al-Thani, as he would complement their experiences of state-building with his own. William the Conqueror established his rule over England in a [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 832

Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Edwards in American History

In American History, two personalities Benjamin Franklin & Jonathan Edwards were seen to represent two different approaches to the creation of national identity in the years which lead to the creation of an American republic.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 729

Heroification in American History

The history of George Washington mentions many positive facts about the man, calling him the father of the country and assigning many heroic qualities to him as a result.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 276

Julius Caesar an Iconic Roman

This was highly unexpected, as Caesar, a declared dictator, had the support of all the people of Rome, and his death resulted in administrative imbalances.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1507

“Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela

In the fast developing world, advances and progress move countries and nations forward but at the same time, some things are left behind and become a burden for the people and evolution to better life [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 587

The Life of Zora Neale Hurston

As Hurston later glorifies in her literary works, the town was the first to offer African Americans the chance to live freely and independent of the Whites, as they desired.
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2499

What Made Pericles an Outstanding Leader in Athens

During the burial of the people who had died during the Peloponnesian war, Pericles, the son of Xanthippus was chosen to deliver a speech in their praise, and it is in his speech that some [...]
  • 3.4
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1511

Thomas Paine’s Vision and Legacy

In his simple radicalism and using means he could, that of the pen, Paine used it so effectively that he is credited with the success of the American revolution, the French revolution, and the British [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1416

Minamoto No Yoritomo: The First Shogun

According to Weston, the Civil War between the samurai clans of Minamoto and Taira in 1160 led to what the defeat of Minamoto in what was called Heiji rebellion. Japan was under the control of [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1088

Chris Herren: An American Tragedy

It remains the dream of many youngsters to have the chance such as the one that Herren had. Herren's life and career as presented in "Unguarded" is more representative of the American tragedy than the [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1175

How Hitler Compares to Stalin

Initially the post of General Secretary was not so powerful in the party; however, following the death Vladimir Lenin who had led the communist party from 1917, Stalin strengthened the opposition by eliminating opposition within [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1940

William Bradford’s personality

In his childhood, Bradford had to endure the loss of several of his close family members. The success he had in the leadership position was largely due to his resolute personality.
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  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 561

Karl Marx: A Hero or a Villain?

Therefore, claiming that Marx as a villain who produced the concept of Communism would be a significant overstatement, as well as a fundamental misunderstanding of Marx's theories and intentions.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 574

Johannes Kepler: Historical Figures

However, having received the opportunity to become a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Graz, he changed his life plans and decided to enter the path of science.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 386

Gloria Steinem: Political Activist and Feminist Leader

Thesis: Gloria Steinem's direct, bold, argumentative, and explicit style of conveying her ideas and values is the result of her political activism, feminist leadership, and her grandmother, Pauline Perlmutter Steinem.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 861
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