1st Grade Social Studies

Historical Figures

Unit 1


Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson

Benjamin Franklin was a very important person during early American history! Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin was a writer, scientist, politician, and an inventor.

  • Franklin was very important during the American Revolution. Along with serving in the Second Continental Congress, he helped draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In 1783, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolution!

  • Franklin studied a varity of topics such as the ocean, meteorology, health, refrigeration, and electricity. As an inventor, he created the Franklin Stove, and bifocal eyeglasses. Life today would be much different without his contributions. He made very important discoveries in electricity!

A very prominent figure during the American Revolution and early American history, Thomas Jefferson had a great, lasting effect on America. Along with writing the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson became the third U.S president.

  • After he was elected president in 1800, Jefferson executed the Louisiana Purchase and acquired the Louisiana Territory. The Louisiana purchase allowed the U.S to acquire 1/3 of the territory it has today.

  • Despite preaching freedom and liberty, Jefferson owned slaves on his plantation in Virginia. Sadly, he only believed in equality for white men.


Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea

In 1803, President Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase. To explore these new areas, Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on an expedition. With the help of Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark began travelling across and gathering information about the lands west of the Mississippi River.

  • The expedition was very tough but it was necessary for the development of America. The expedition was incredibly difficult as they had to cross rough terrain and come across great obstacles.

  • Though the journey was long and treacherous, Lewis and Clark gathered a lot of informatiom on the new land. These lands became 1/3 of our modern America.

The expedition of Lewis and Clark could not have been successful without the navigation assistance of Native American woman, Sacagawea.

  • Sacagawea was incredibly important as a translator and navigator. She knew the land, and she assisted Lewis and Clark in traveling the land. She also allowed Lewis and Clark to be accepted by the Native Americans. Without her assistance, Lewis and Clark would not have been able to discover and make as much of an impact.

Theodore Roosevelt

The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt had a great impact on America as an environmentalist and conservationist. His efforts to conserve wildlife, forests, and establish national parks is a huge reason why they are prominent in the U.S today.

  • Roosevelt was a great conservationist! This means he fought for the protection of the environment. He protected wildlife and developed national parks.

  • Roosevelt also helped begin the Panama Canal construction. He also won a Nobel Peace Prize for helping in foreign affairs!

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was an African American, agricultural scientist and inventor after the abolishment of slavery. He developed several important agricultural products!

  • Carver became educated in a period where many African Americans were not. He received a degree from Iowa State University in agricultural science.

  • He made many agricultural developments as a professor and researcher at Tuskegee University.

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges became an activist at the young age of six when she became one of the first African American students to attend and integrate a school in the South.

  • Out of six students chosen to enroll and integrate the school, Bridges became the only one to enroll. She recieved much discrimination from her classmates, teachers, parents, and many others in the South.

  • Ruby Bridges, although only six years old, became an early, prominent civil rights activist who fought to have equal education as an African American. Because of her efforts, schools began to be integrated more often.