The Victorian Era
This British queen ruled from 1837 to 1901, giving her name to an entire era of history.
Who is Queen Victoria?
This Chicago gangster became the most famous face of Prohibition-era organized crime before being convicted of tax evasion in 1931.
Who is Al Capone?
This founder of the Missionaries of Charity devoted her life to serving the poor in India and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Who is Mother Teresa?
Known as “The Voice of the Century,” this Italian tenor became one of the most famous opera singers in history and was part of the Three Tenors.
Who is Luciano Pavarotti?
This short poem by Robert Frost describes a traveler choosing between two paths in a yellow wood.
What is The Road Not Taken?
This British naturalist published On the Origin of Species in 1859, introducing his theory of evolution.
Who is Charles Darwin?
This gangster became famous for controlling bootlegging and gambling in New York City and was later portrayed in a film by Warren Beatty.
Who is Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel?
Known as “The Lady with the Lamp,” this British nurse helped transform medical care during the Crimean War.
Who is Florence Nightingale?
This violinist became famous for his extraordinary technique and performances of works by composers like Paganini.
Who is Itzhak Perlman?
This Edgar Allan Poe poem tells the story of a grieving narrator visited by a mysterious bird repeating one word.
What is the Raven?
This invention, developed in the Victorian era, allowed people to communicate instantly over long distances using electrical signals.
What is the telegraph?
This New York mobster was nicknamed “The Teflon Don” because criminal charges seemed unable to stick until his conviction in the 1990s.
Who is John Gotti?
This Scottish-born American naturalist helped inspire the creation of Yosemite National Park and founded the organization that bears his name, dedicated to protecting wild places.
Who is John Muir?
This Canadian pianist became famous for his recordings, especially his interpretation of Bach, and was known for his dislike of performing live concerts.
Who is Glenn Gould?
This poem by Clement Clarke Moore begins with the famous line about a visit from a certain holiday figure on Christmas Eve.
What is A Visit from St. Nicholas (“’Twas the Night Before Christmas”)?
This London district became infamous during the Victorian era because of a series of unsolved murders attributed to the mysterious figure Jack the Ripper.
What is Whitechapel?
This Prohibition-era gangster was nicknamed “The Public Enemy” and became famous in Chicago before being killed by police in 1934.
Who is John Dillinger?
This activist fought for education for girls in Pakistan after being attacked by the Taliban and later won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Who is Malala Yousafzai?
This Italian soprano became one of the most celebrated opera singers of the 20th century and was known for her performances at the Metropolitan Opera.
Who is Maria Callas?
Written by Walt Whitman after the death of Abraham Lincoln, this poem compares the president to a fallen ship captain.
What is O Captain! My Captain!
This invention powered locomotives, factories, and ships during the Industrial Revolution, helping transform how people and goods moved around the world.
What is the steam engine?
This gangster became one of the most powerful figures in Las Vegas, helping transform the city into a gambling destination.
Who is Meyer Lansky?
This doctor became known as “The Angel of the Battlefield” for helping wounded soldiers during the American Civil War.
Who is Clara Barton?
This trumpet player studied at Juilliard, performed with the New York Philharmonic, and helped bring jazz education and performance to a wider audience through his work at Lincoln Center.
Who is Wynton Marsalis?
This epic poem by John Milton tells the story of the fall of humanity and the temptation of Adam and Eve.
What is Paradise Lost?