I'm just wondering who you would describe as the "most inspirational person in history" and why?

I've been trying to narrow it down and haven't had any luck. I have personal heroes (Lincoln) and favorites (Joan of Arc), but I'm not sure I could label them the most inspirational in history.

What do you think?

This is in no way a homework help or a school paper (Have my Masters, done with school... for now! ) I'm simply a historian who loves history!

Marriedguy

This is a difficult because there are some many. I'm going to go with Nikola Tesla. Some people call him the father of electricity. Could you even imagine a world without electricity?

I like the inventors..only problem lot of the inventors/scientist heroes stand on the shoulders of other inventor/scientist so its debatable what their level of importance is.

jack dandy

Nelson Mandella,

Because he never lost the faith. They threw him in jail for 27 years, while in jail he worked to get his law degree and did get it. He came out when South African President Deklerck pardoned him and let him out, then they both received the Noble peace prize award and then he was elected President of South Africa. Now thats a humble man in my eyes. I dont know if i could keep the faith for 27 years and then become president and forgive the people who put me in prison.

tomder55

many here I assume would say Jesus. My favorite is George Washington. The Brits might say Winston Churchill. Another perhaps overlooked is Marcus Aurelius ,Roman Emperor and Philosopher .There are really too many to narrow down to one .

tomder55

nicki Reading comprehension skills are a good thing. Clearly I said a Brit MIGHT say Churchill. But you avitar displays where you find inspiration.

George_1950

I will say Churchill: "I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization." June 18, 1940
Can you imagine Hillary or Obama uttering such words? They would have been under the table with Chamberlain.

nicki143

Tom your bang on the money she may have been a dumb blonde but she knew how to make money and people still idolise her even now

Allheart

Mother Teresa -

That was an easy one. If I could only be so unselfish. She never judged, did things out of love.

I can't even find the words.

George_1950

Mother Teresa is one of my favorite persons, an icon. In a way, her actions speak louder than words.
So, I'm a glutton; and have another that, after I heard or read it, never forgot: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Churchill went on to say, in a universal way, comparing WW II to WW I: "In the last war millions of men fought by hurling masses of steel at one another. Prodigious slaughter was the consequence. In this war nothing of this kind has yet appeared. It is a conflict of strategy, organisation, technical apparatus, science, mechanics, and morale." It reminds one of the few casualties suffered by U.S. (U.N.) forces in overthrowing Saddam, in the face of predictions by naysayers of numerous casualties and body bags; also, another conveniently forgotten fact at this point in the Bush presidency.
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few | 1940-1949 | Guardian Century

Skell

Muhammad Ali. Too hard to narrow it down to one.