Historical Figures Essay Examples and Topics

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480 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!

480 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

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

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

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

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
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  • Words: 594

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

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

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
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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 [...]
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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.
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  • Words: 405

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 [...]
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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 [...]
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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.
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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 [...]
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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
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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
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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

“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 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

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
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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

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

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

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

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

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
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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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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
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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
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“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
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  • Words: 587

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.
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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.
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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.
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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  • Words: 1288

Martin Luther King Jr. vs. Nelson Mandela

Letter from Birmingham jail was directed to the people and the eight white clergy members in Birmingham who condemned the actions of Martin Luther in public.
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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.
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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.
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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

Hatshepsut’s Life and Her Image in Pop Culture

To ensure the continuity of the kingdom, Thutmosis II married Hatshepsut. When Thutmosis II died, the legitimate heir of the throne, Thutmosis III, the son of Hatshepsut, was only 7 years.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1651

The Life of Imam al-Bukhari

The memorizing capability was very important to him, and it is said that during his early years of acquiring knowledge he committed over three thousand hadithas to his memory.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1451

Cleopatra and Her Influence on the Ptolemaic Dynasty

C and he left the will that he allowed Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, her younger brother, to rule the kingdom and Cleopatra was directed to wed her brother and deputy ruler because of the Egyptians' [...]
  • 2.8
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1456

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

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.
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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
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The Rise of Stalin and His Influence

Numerous scholars attribute the Great Purges to the paranoia and insatiable ambitions of Stalin. The ideology was a distinguishing factor to identify those in favor of Stalin and against him.
  • Pages: 2
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“The Journals of Captain Cook” James Cook

The journals reveal "the determination, courage, and skills which enabled Cook to fight with the continuous dangers of uncharted seas and the problems of achieving a relationship with the people whose unexpected guest he became".
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 557

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

Charles V: Historical Impact

Charles V cared about the rights of the people he conquered and tried to maintain stability in the regions of his empire.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 934

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

Albert Einstein, His Life and Career

Newton was one of the key pioneers in the transition from astrology to astronomy and he formulated scientific laws that assisted scientists and ordinary people to understand the intricacies of planetary motions and how objects [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1152

Nelson Mandela: Biography and Influences

Mandela had one big ambition in life; to make the life of black South Africans oppression- free. With such opportunities, Mandela still decided to make the most practical and life-changing application of his career.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 624

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

Mao Zedong: A Blessing or Curse for the Chinese People

Some of the most important of these transformations include the 'Long March' that took place before his leadership, development of the Five-Year Plan, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution that is the subject [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2300

The Epic of Sundiata

His role as a leader among the Mandinka people of Mali since the time when he founded the Mali Empire in the year 1230, till his sudden death in 1255 propelled him to the rank [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 769

Life of a Japanese Warlord: Oda Nobunaga

The Nobuhide's branch was stationed at kiyosu and was run by three elders; the second branch of the family was housed at Iwakura castle in the north of Omwari province.
  • Pages: 13
  • Words: 3525

Daniel Chamier’s Autobiography

Despite the persecution and discrimination by the Roman Catholic rulers of that time, the Huguenots increased significantly in population and settled in Southern and Western France throughout the 16th century.
  • Pages: 7
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The Escape of Adolf Hitler: Discussion

The third theory asserts the fact that upon realizing that the war was at its conclusion, the F hrer implemented a devious plan to escape right under the noses of the advancing Soviet forces.
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  • Words: 1146

Edward Snowden: A Hero or a Traitor

As part of the discourse on Snowden's social responsibility, one of the central themes of the essay is to determine the moral background of the government's actions in collecting personal data.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1737

Elizabeth I of England as a Very Successful Monarch

The achievements of her rule are very important for solving a row of difficult problems existing in the country those days and for leading the country on a new level of the world supremacy both [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1120

Stephen Hawking: A Prominent Scientist

This paper describes the life of Stephen Hawking and his most important works. During his university studies, he was diagnosed with ALS a disease that made him lose the ability to move and speak in [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 435

Life and Achievements of Max Weber

Chapter 7 of the book deals with the life and achievements of German sociologist Max Weber, one of the greatest sociologists of the end of the 19th beginning of the 20th century.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 564

True Leadership – Living Outside Your Boundaries

Besides that, Gates also gave a lot of precedence to the research sections within his company. Bill Gates is a well-respected individual who has earned his place through effective methods of dealing with numerous challenges [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 963

Charles de Gaulle: A Portrait of a Good Leader

After Germany overran France in the early part of the Second World War, de Gaulle shifted to Algiers to run a shadow government and lead the Free French Forces for the liberation of France from [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 577
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