Which Great American Are You?

You are like the versatile Frederick Douglass! Born into slavery and abused by his master, Douglass escaped and eventually became a U.S. ambassador. After he escaped the hellish imprisonment of slavery, he became an avid abolitionist, orator, writer, and founded his own newspaper to make people aware of the horrors of slavery. He ultimately persuaded President Lincoln to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, and continued to fight for the rights of exploited Americans for the rest of his life. In addition to his many accomplishments, he was also an avid feminist and joined forces with Susan B. Anthony and other suffragettes for women's rights. Douglass helped transform the United States for the better, and his legacy is still seen today.

You are like the courageous Susan B. Anthony! Anthony devoted her life to social equality and was a leader of the women's suffrage movement. Not only did she fight for women's rights, but was an avid abolitionist and a close friend of Frederick Douglass. Anthony voted in a local election and was arrested and refused to pay the fine, making a bold statement in the male-dominated 19th century United States. Anthony worked her life for voting rights for women, and eventually the 19th amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution in 1920 that gave all women the vote. Because of Anthony and the people like her who fought long and hard battles, women would not enjoy the sense of equality they have today.

You are like the courageous Deborah Sampson! In a time when women were not allowed into the military, Sampson took her brother's name, disguised herself as a man, and joined the Continental Army in America's Revolutionary War. Her mother wanted her to marry a wealthy man, but she believed in the ideals of the Founding Fathers and courageously fought for American Independence. Never give up the dream of freedom and equality for all people and fight to make it happen!

You are like the noble Martin Luther King, Jr.! One of the most iconic and heroic Americans of all time, King believed and fought for what he believed in. The most pivotal figure of the civil rights movement, King pushed America forward on the road to equality for all Americans, regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, he became a martyr when he was murdered. His death ignited America and because of his bold actions, there is more equality for Americans today. King was a Baptist preacher and his love for God and humanity pushed him to pursue peaceful social justice.

You are like the resilient Solomon Northup! A farmer and violinist in New York, Northup was kidnapped and sold into slavery following a faux job offer. For the next twelve years of his life, Northup endured the hardships and horrors of slavery in Louisiana. He was ripped from his family and everything he loved and almost lost hope. Fortunately, a friend on his plantation sent word to his home and helped him escape and return to his family. Northup recorded his experiences of his years in captivity in a memoir, called "12 Years a Slave", which became a bestseller and a successful play. Northup became an eager abolitionist and lectured about his experiences. His story of endurance and suffering ignited America to end slavery, and his story has just as strong of an impact today.

You are like the daring Harriet Jacobs! Jacob's story of suffering and freedom is lesser known, but her life paints a picture of the abuse suffered by women in slavery. Born into slavery, her parents died when she was young and she was stalked by her predatory and lustful master. Her master mentally tortured her and abused her, and she was so desperate to escape him that she had two children with her neighbor--solely for the sake that her master would leave her in peace. In desperation, she attempted to escape and hid for seven years in a crawl space above her grandmother's outbuilding. She painstakingly watched her children grow up from a one-inch wide hole. Eventually, she escaped to the North and her children followed, where she found work and helped others who had escaped slavery. Later, she wrote her memoir "Incidences in the Life of a Slave Girl."

You are like the amiable Abraham Lincoln! One of the most famous presidents of all time, Lincoln is most famed for the Emancipation Proclamation which freed the enslaved population of the United States. It was a long over-due, monumental task that further propelled the United States towards a better future. Unfortunately, Lincoln was murdered after he secured his second term in office and became a martyr and a symbol of freedom. Like Lincoln, you are a noble soul who will do anything to do the right thing, regardless of what the world tells you.

You are like the brave Sacagawea! She was separated from her family at a young age, and at age 13, she was won as a wife in a gambling match. Sacagawea is most famous for leading the explorers Lewis and Clark in western North America, from North Dakota to the Pacific ocean, because she knew the land and spoke the Shoshone language. During the journey with Lewis and Clark, she was a symbol of peace to the peoples in Western North America that let people know they were non-aggressive. It is said that Sacagawea died in 1812, but some reports indicate she could have been alive in 1884. Sacagawea has a legacy of one of the most well-known Americans that led to the eventual accumulation of western North America to the United States.