Unsung Heroes - Why Did History Forget? Quiz

Answer: Chester A. Arthur

Arthur, a 23 year-old attorney for an abolitionist law firm, represented Graham in her suit against the Third Avenue Railroad company which had ejected her when she tried to ride their segregated streetcar. The case was widely publicized at the time, but Graham was largely left out of history books in the wake of the Civil War. Rosa Parks wasn't even the first African American woman arrested in Montgomery, AL for attempting to sit in 'white-only' bus seats.

In the months prior to Parks' celebrated protest, teenagers Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith had refused to surrender bus seats to white riders and were arrested.

The NAACP, looking for a case to take to trial, passed on Colvin and Smith, though. Colvin was an unmarried, pregnant teenager while Smith's father was reputed to have a problem with alcohol. Parks was mature, clean-cut and well spoken which made her a more attractive plaintiff in the organization's view.

Answer: The helical shape of DNA

Several scientists had proposed theoretical models of DNA's molecular structure which had been proved wrong. Franklin used X-ray crystallography to produce pictures suggesting the helical form of DNA. Watson and Crick, now known as the 'discoverers' of the double helix, were shown her images shortly before publishing their "discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids" in 1953. Franklin was not credited in their work but her discoveries were published as 'supporting' their discovery.
Why don't we learn about Watson, Crick AND Franklin? Well, scientists aren't known for generosity in sharing credit for their work, so it's not surprising that Franklin was left out. Also she had already moved on to a different research lab where she was doing groundbreaking work on the structure of viruses. It's also hard not to credit prejudice on the part of her colleagues with Franklin's forgotten status. She was a Jewish woman working in a time when sexism and anti-semitism were common.
As awareness of her work has grown, Rosalind Franklin has begun to be honored in numerous ways. Birkbeck College, London, where she spent the latter part of her career named a laboratory for her and in 2004 a major medical school in Chicago renamed itself The Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Answer: Cast the deciding 'not guilty' vote in the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson

In 1868 Edmund Ross was representing Kansas as a Republican in the US Senate. President Johnson was impeached for the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' of violating the Tenure of Office Act, a law of dubious constitutionality which limited the President's ability to fire political appointees. Seven Republican Senators needed to break with their party to prevent a two-thirds majority from convicting the President. Six others had cast 'not guilty' votes when Ross's name was called and he cast his controversial 'not guilty' vote, ending the impeachment proceedings. Had Johnson been convicted and removed from office it's possible that the presidency would have been permanently weakened and it's very likely that Congress would have enacted even harsher Reconstruction laws than they did. Ross lost a bid for reelection in 1872 and switched political allegience to the Democrats.

He later served as Governor of the New Mexico Territory.

Answer: The Watergate Break In

Wills' powers of observation led to convictions and jail time for several government officials and ultimately the resignation of President Nixon. Frank Wills later played himself in the movie 'All the President's Men' but after that he virtually disappeared from public view. After drifting from job to job while caring for his mother, a stroke victim, he finally spent a year in jail for shoplifting. Wills died of a brain tumor in 2000.
Wills' log entry recording his discovery on June 17, 1972 at 1:47 a.m. is now in the National Archives.

Answer: Color blindness

In his 20s, Dalton began a lifetime of meteorological observations and worked on theories of atmospheric circulation. In the 1790s he began his study of color blindness. His description of his own condition was the first scientific investigation of the subject. Since his brother was also color blind, Dalton was first to identify it as a hereditary condition.
Using a barometer and doing a lot of climbing, Dalton's measurement of the height of mountains in England's Lake District was the standard until the 1860s. Dalton's study of gasses led to Dalton's Law concerning the partial pressure of gasses.
In the early 1800s Dalton began publication of points that would become his contributions to atomic theory. His ideas on atomic structure have largely held true even with further advancements in science.

Answer: Robert E. Lee's Special Order 191

Special Order 191 were Robert E. Lee's orders to his commanders for the Confederate invasion of Maryland. The orders were wrapped around three cigars and had somehow been lost. When Mitchell's find reached Union commander George McClellan (who had previously been unable to locate the Rebels) he announced, "Here is a paper with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing to go home." McClellan mismanaged the ensuing Battle of Antietam allowing Lee's forces to retire to Virginia after the bloodiest day of fighting in the course of the war. McClellan did not go home. Corporal Mitchell died in 1868 of wounds he suffered during the battle.

Other than a historical marker at his gravesite, his part in potentially saving the Union has been largely uncredited.

It's not known if was allowed to keep the cigars.

Answer: Attila the Hun

In 452 AD, after pillaging much of modern Germany and France, Attila led his horde into Italy. After sacking several cities he was met outside Rome by envoys from Emperor Valentinian, one of whom was Pope Leo. Following a discussion between the Pope and the leader of the Huns, Attila's forces withdrew from Italy into Eastern Europe where he died the following year. It's not known what Leo said to Attila that convinced him to spare the Roman capital.

Theories range from divine intervention to payment of a large bribe.

Many historians think that Attila decided to leave because Italy was suffering from two years of famine and Attila's army simply wasn't able to continue to feed itself. Leo received credit for the salvation of Rome, whatever the reason. Three years later Leo was unable to prevent the sack of Rome by the Vandal tribe.

Answer: Paul Revere

In April of 1777 the British moved to punish Connecticut for supporting the revolution. The 7th Regiment of the Dutchess County Militia commanded by Sybil's father, Colonel Henry Ludington, had temporarily returned to their homes to complete spring planting. Upon learning of the British approach, Ludington sent his daughter out on horseback to notify the soldiers to muster for battle. Sybil rode sidesaddle for over 40 miles, single-handedly notifying all 400 members of the regiment who gathered under her father's command. Too late to stop the British burning Danbury, the regiment joined the rest of the army to chase the British out of the colony at the Battle of Ridgefield. George Washington himself thanked Sybil for her act of bravery. Perhaps if Longfellow had found a word to rhyme with 'Ludington,' Sybil would be as well known as Paul Revere.

The famous silvermith, by the way, was assisted by 40 other riders and was captured and questioned by the British in the course of his much shorter ride.

Answer: Marco Polo of the East

Bar Sauma was born about 1220 AD near modern Beijing and was a member of the Christian Church of the East. He became a monk as a young man and later began a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Events sidetracked him for many years and eventually he was named Mongol ambassador to Europe.

In his travels he met several kings and other leaders as well as Pope Nicholas IV. His writings are valued by scholars but his travels took him in the wrong direction to be as well remembered as his Italian counterpart, Marco Polo.

Answer: Levi Strauss

Davis emigrated from Russia to the US in 1854. He tried several careers in various locations before settling in Reno and opening his tailor's shop. His heavy weight, metal reinforced denim pants proved so popular that he couldn't keep up with demand. Levi Strauss opened a factory in San Francisco to produce the pants and Davis managed the production. Had Davis been able to finance his own patent, we might be buttoning our Jacob's 501s.