Barack Obama, the President of the United States

Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer and one-term Georgia governor who unexpectedly ascended to the presidency in 1980. Taking office during a turbulent time in the nation’s history, Carter served just one ineffective term, but in his post-presidency life he has become a respected humanitarian and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Theodore Roosevelt was a larger-than-life figure with varied interests, working as a politician, soldier, hunter and naturalist. He greatly expanded the powers of the presidency, employing a strong hand in foreign affairs, taking on big business and introducing a wide range of conservationist policies.

When Robert E. Lee accepted command of the Confederate Army, he “believed he was defending Virginia, not slavery.” He has been considered one of the greatest heroes of the South and an icon of American military leadership.

Rebel, patriot and politician Samuel Adams helped organize protests against the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773 and developed a base of resistance that would eventually lead to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In 2004, Wangari Muta Maathai became the first African Woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai is known as the founder of the “Green Belt Movement” to reforest Africa.

Little is known about Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist, general and philosopher, believed to have lived in the sixth or fifth century B.C. But much has been written about the book attributed to him, “The Art of War,” the earliest and perhaps the most influential book ever written on the topic.

His administrative skill—and his intelligent and tolerant leadership—earned Darius I the title of Darius the Great. He built the magnificent city of Persepolis and left behind inscriptions telling the story of his successes.

Anne Bonny was an Irish-American female pirate of the 18th century. A crewmember of the ship captained by “Calico Jack” Rackham, Bonny was known as a fierce and relentless fighter.