101 More Things Every College Graduate Should Know About American History

PrintPrintEmailEmail

(1962), by Rachel Carson. By showing how pesticides such as DDT affected birds and other animals, and indirectly humans, too, Silent Spring caused a public furor that led to the banning of many such substances and to the modern attack on all forms of pollution.

29 Sexual Behavior in the Human Male

(1948), by Alfred C. Kinsey. This study, based on more than five thousand interviews with men of all ages, and a similar volume on women, published in 1953, demonstrated that people of all kinds engaged in a great variety of sexual practices. The books had an enormous influence on public attitudes toward human sexuality.

30 The Feminine Mystique

(1963), by Betty Friedan. If this work did not give birth to the modern feminist movement, it surely raised it to maturity. Friedan argued that most of the opinion-shaping forces of modern society were engaged in a witless effort to convince women of the virtues of domesticity. By so doing, they were wasting the talents of millions. Women should resist these pressures. “The only way for a woman … to know herself as a person,” wrote Friedan, “is by creative work.”

ROCKEFELLERS

  

31 John D. Rockefeller

(1839–1937), organizer of the Standard Oil trust, principal benefactor of the University of Chicago, billionaire, bête noire of the antimonopolists. Also founder of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, the Rockefeller Foundation “to promote the well-being of mankind,” and other charitable organizations, and longtime Baptist Sunday school superintendent of Cleveland.

William Rockefeller

(1841–1922), brother of John D., oilman, Wall Street promoter, a director of the National City Bank, public utility magnate and railroad man, bon vivant .

  

John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,

(1874–1960), son of John D., founder of Rockefeller University and the Cloisters, builder of Riverside Church and Rockefeller Center in New York City, restorer of Colonial Williamsburg and other historic sites, contributor of the land on which the United Nations Headquarters stands, teetotaler. Father of Winthrop, David, Laurance, John D. III, and Nelson.

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

(1874–1948), wife of John D., Jr., and daughter of Sen. Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island; a founder and benefactor of the Museum of Modern Art.

  

John D. Rockefeller III

(1906–78), first president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a founder of both the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Asia Society.

Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller

(1909–), wife of John D. Ill, art collector, president and chairman of the Museum of Modern Art.

  

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller

(1908–79), coordinator of Inter-American Affairs under Franklin Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of State, Undersecretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, four-term Republican governor of New York, threetime seeker of the Republican presidential nomination, Vice-President of the United States.

Laurance S. Rockefeller

(1910–), philanthropist, businessman, conservationist.

  

Winthrop Rockefeller

(1912–73), Republican governor of Arkansas, closely involved in development of Colonial Williamsburg.

David Rockefeller

(1915– ), international banker, chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank, philanthropist, public official.

 

John D. Rockefeller IV

(1937–), son of John D. Ill and Blanchette, Democratic senator and governor of West Virginia, diplomat.

MORE WONDERFUL NICKNAMES 32 Captain Shrimp.

The name given to Miles Standish of the Plymouth Colony by his enemy, Thomas Morton of Merry Mount. The reference, of course, was to his diminutive stature.

33 Light-Horse Harry.

The nickname of Henry Lee, Revolutionary War cavalry officer, friend of Washington, and father of Robert E. Lee. It was Henry Lee who described Washington as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

34 Champagne Charlie.

Charles Townshend, British chancellor of the exchequer, who pushed the Townshend Acts (taxing tea, glass, paint, paper, and other products imported into the colonies) through Parliament in 1767.

35 Magnus Apollo.