Historical Figures Teaching Resources
Expand your students' knowledge of famous historical figures from United States history and from around the world with biographical teaching resources created by teachers for teachers.
Explore the real-life experiences of politicians, Civil Rights leaders, explorers, and other famous people from history with writing activities about influential figures, biographical worksheets, constructed responses, crossword puzzles and more explorations into the lives of some of history's best-known figures.
Is this your first year incorporating historical figures into a lesson plan? Or maybe you're just looking for a refresher? Take a peek at a primer from our teacher team, including a list of some of the many important historical figures featured in this collection.
Why Is It Important to Learn About Historical Figures?
When students learn about the various historical figures who have made a mark in the nation's and world's history, they develop a better understanding of the relationships between individual people and society as a whole. Learning about famous people from throughout history also helps them to connect to the past as they look at history through the lens of real-life experiences.
Famous Historical Figures in This Collection
This collection of teaching resources includes activities, instructional slide decks, and more educational resources to help students learn about important figures from the days of the 13 colonies to more modern times, including:
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark
- Ruby Bridges
- Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
- Various US presidents
- Jane Addams
- Sojourner Truth
- Alexander Hamilton
- The Navajo Code Talkers
- Amelia Earhart
- Neil Armstrong
- Sally Ride
- Sir Edmund Hillary
- And many, many more
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Franklin D. Roosevelt Facts and Details Comprehension Pack
Read and learn about Franklin Delano Roosevelt with a reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower Comprehension Pack
Read and learn about Dwight D. Eisenhower with a reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Christopher Columbus Reading Passage - Lower Elementary
Learn about Christopher Columbus and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions for first and second grade.
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Stephen F. Austin Mini Book
Make a book with your primary-grade students to learn about the contributions of Stephen F. Austin.
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Jose Antonio Navarro Mini Book
Make a book with your primary-grade students to learn about the contributions of Jose Antonio Navarro.
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Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca - Reading Worksheet
Learn about Cabeza de Vaca’s accomplishments and explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Early Explorers - Robert de La Salle Reading Passage
Learn about Robert de la Salle and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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The Age of Discovery - Francisco Coronado Reading Passage
Learn about Francisco Vazquez de Coronado and his North American explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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European Explorers Mini Flipbooks
Introduce your students to the many famous explorers of the Age of Exploration by having them complete a miniature explorer flip book.
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Ruth Bader Ginsberg Comprehension Activity
Learn about the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a reading comprehension passage, assessment, and vocabulary practice worksheets.
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The Age of Exploration - Hernando de Soto Reading Passage
Learn about Hernando De Soto and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Great American Inventors and Scientists - Instructional Slide Deck
Meet some of the most innovative and world-changing Americans with an instructional slide deck.
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Christopher Columbus for Kids - Comprehension Worksheets
Learn about Christopher Columbus and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Innovative Americans Mini Book
Meet some of the most innovative and world-changing Americans with a printable mini book.
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Human Rights Heroes - Marshall and Chavez Venn Diagram
Compare and contrast civil rights heroes with a set of compare-and-contrast Venn diagrams for kids.
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American Hero Triorama Project
Identify and encourage research into notable American and Texan heroes with a triorama project.
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John Cabot Reading Passage - Comprehension
Discover famous explorers like John Cabot with printable reading comprehension activities.
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Influential Black Leaders InstaFan Profile Template
Demonstrate learning about the most influential black leaders in history with an engaging social media biography template.
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Innovative Americans Graphic Organizer
Record and remember key facts and details about American inventors with a printable graphic organizer.
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Women's Rights Leaders - InstaFan Biography Project
Demonstrate learning about the most influential female leaders in history with an engaging social media biography template.
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America's Heroes - Heroes in History Sorting Activity
Identify and encourage further research into notable American and Texan heroes with a cut and paste sorting activity.
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Women's Rights Leaders Graphic Organizer
Organize learning about famous historical figures of the Women’s Rights Movement with a pack of note-taking worksheets.
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Henry Ford Mini Book
Provide students with cross-curricular social studies and reading instruction with a printable Henry Ford for Kids mini book.
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Henry Ford for Kids - Entrepreneurship Slide Deck
Promote entrepreneurship and discover the contributions of Henry Ford to the American automobile with an instructional slide deck.
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Clara Barton Passage and Comprehension Worksheets
Uncover facts about Clara Barton with a reading passage and worksheet pack to practice comprehension, character analysis, and sequencing.
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Influential Black Leaders - Instagram Post Template
Demonstrate learning about the most influential Black leaders in history with an engaging social media template.
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Women's Rights Leaders - InstaFan Post Template
Demonstrate learning about the most influential female leaders during the Women’s Rights movement with an engaging social media template.
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Leaders of the Women's Suffrage Movement - Instructional Slide Deck
Learn about the most influential female leaders during the Women’s Rights movement with an engaging instructional slide deck.
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Famous Women in History– Female Inventors Teaching Presentation
Teach about the most influential female inventors in history with this 15-slide instructional slide deck.
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Henry Ford Graphic Organizer
Organize learning about Henry Ford’s contribution to the American automobile industry with a graphic organizer worksheet.
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The Women's Suffrage Movement Slide Deck
Provide your students with a look into the women’s suffrage movement with an instructional slide deck.
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Influential Black Leaders Research Organizers
Dive into a research project on influential Black leaders with a set of Historical Figure graphic organizers.