The Greatest American

[District Line]

Recently in Britain, the BBC conducted a poll to find out who the general public thought was the greatest Briton ever.

Some of us were wondering, who would be the choice of the American public?

Who would figure, lets say, in the top five and why?

Would they be from the field of politics, the arts, the sciences or something else?

 

[70/30]

Ben Franklin wins, 75 percent of the vote. Frederick Douglass 13%, Cesar Chavez 12%.

 

[islandman]

1. JFK

2. Abe Lincoln

3. Samuel Clemens

4. Ella Fitzgerald

5. Norman Rockwell


I'll get into the why later.

 

[70/30]

Ben Franklin is the Father of America. Thomas Jefferson hijacked it and screwed it up hardcore.

 

[Ishmael]

Benjamin Franklin - Rennaisance man.
George Washington - Set the tone for the presidency that lasted for almost 170 years. Integrity.
Samuel Clemens - America's great author.
Georgia O'Keefe - Unbelieveable art.
Thomas Alva Edison - Look around.

Ishmael

 

[peachykeen]

See I kinda hate this, because there isn't one single 'greatest', which is why I didn't vote in the BBC thing either, interesting as all the programs were. There are loads of great people who have majorly impacted our lives in large ways and small. Why try to narrow it down to one?

 

[Linedrive]

John Adams

 

[mbb308]

Without George Washington, there would be no US. With all of his shortcomings, the guy was one hell of a leader, all of the time.

You gotta go with George.

 

[Rex1960]

Ralph Waldo Emerson
John Steinbeck
Ernest Hemingway
George Gershwin
Leonard Bernstein

 

[Spinaroonie]

Comedy Andrew W.K. Option

 

[Lasher]

I'm having a tough time deciding between Ben and Jerry. Anyone know which one came up with the idea for Cherry Garcia?

 

[peachykeen]

I'm having a tough time deciding between Ben and Jerry. Anyone know which one came up with the idea for Cherry Garcia?

my hunch would be...Jerry...


oh stop fucking around, all of you. Clearly the most important and influential American ever is Madonna. Just ask her.

 

[70/30]

George Washington was a conservationist, before leaving Valley Forge to pursue Gen. Howe, his troops thoroughly cleaned up their winter quarters. The Continentals were in a precarious situation but they found the energy to preserve the land they were fighting for.

 

[Lasher]

George Washington was a conservationist, before leaving Valley Forge to pursue Gen. Howe, his troops thoroughly cleaned up their winter quarters.

Surprisingly enough, after all that sports fans in Philly still booed him.

 

[70/30]

He also hired Mad Anthony Wayne and told him to kill a lot of savages.

 

[70/30]

John Marshall was a great American.

 

[kotori]

oh stop fucking around, all of you. Clearly the most important and influential American ever is Madonna. Just ask her.

We can't, she's moved to Britain now. And you know how uppity some American's get when the live in England, think they're so fucking cool or something...

oops.

Nevermind.

 

[mbb308]

John Marshall was a great American.

John Marshall established the Supreme Court as the last arbiter of constitutionality. Perhaps it needed to be done, but the election of 2000 has me wondering still.

BTW, Washinton encouraged Marshall to go into public service.

 

[District Line]

See I kinda hate this, because there isn't one single 'greatest', which is why I didn't vote in the BBC thing either, interesting as all the programs were. There are loads of great people who have majorly impacted our lives in large ways and small. Why try to narrow it down to one?

Actually, I agree with you in large part. I found it hard to choose, even from the shortlist and I felt there were many others that should have got a better showing.

Nevertheless, I still think it's interesting. In the distillation process you see the values people hold, see what they regard as really important.

In the end, the British chose Churchill over Shakespeare and others. When it came down to it, the most important thing to the British mind it seems, was something rather basic - protection of their homeland, their sovereignty.

 

[70/30]

Jonas Salk.

 

[70/30]

Jane Addams.

 

[patient1]

Benjamin Franklin - Rennaisance man.
George Washington - Set the tone for the presidency that lasted for almost 170 years. Integrity.
Samuel Clemens - America's great author.
Georgia O'Keefe - Unbelieveable art.
Thomas Alva Edison - Look around.

Ishmael

Nice list.

I'd put Franklin at the top, too.

Just to throw some credit where it doesn't go often enough-

Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross.

Eli Whitney, inventor of interchangeble parts.

Glenn Curtis, contemporary competitor to & later partner of the Wright brothers. Father of naval aviation, motorcycle maker & land speed record holder. Also an innovator in aluminum applications.

 

[sexy-girl]

nobody has said bill gates

 

[WaxNWane]

Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln and Lincoln.

 

[70/30]

Fanny Kemble was a great British citizen and also a great American.