10 Obscure, Eccentric People Who Shaped American History

[@InquisitorThomas]

You got to feel bad for Charles Lee since I feel he’s more well known for being the primary antagonist in Assassin’s Creed 3 than he his is for his actual life.

[@nicholaspalmer892]

Very true

[@mistercmartin]

Well, at least Charles Lee made it into something modern. My ancestor, Brigadier General Joseph "Long Knife" Martin, Jr., who helped bring in some Native American tribes in on the side of the colonies, doesn't get any mention anywhere. His eccentricity was that in addition to an English wife, he had a Native American wife, which is why he was able to get some Native Americans tribes to help the colonies when some tribes were helping the British. Martinsville, Virginia is named after him, but he is not known when he was important to winning the war.

[@JeffKelly03]

Is he really? I just recently started playing AC3 for the first time. Interesting!

[@chowdercat1776]

Where is Charles Lee?!

[@nicholaspalmer892]

@@chowdercat1776 You meet him during or after the first few memory sequences

[@trevercondon97]

Vanderbilt is far from obscure in America, he's in the same class with Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Andrew Carnegie.

[@daveanderson3805]

Yeah, I have heard of Vanderbilt,and I am british

[@kathyastrom1315]

If nothing else, awareness of the family name continues today with the now-deceased Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper.

[@SEAZNDragon]

There's also Vanderbilt University founded with funding from the man.

[@STAROMEGA54]

True but he's more on the low end of the scale, like George Westinghouse was also living at the same time as Rockefeller and Carnegie but is less remembered now like Vanderbilt.

[@ZAV1944]

He even had a Locomotive named after him which was also the first streamlined steam engine.

[@MrIansmitchell]

Simon: "Charles Lee" My brain: "I'm a general, wheeee!"

[@pamelamays4186]

Charles Lee: I like dogs better than people. Strong words from Lee.👆

[@btetschner]

Very interesting video, I wasn't familiar with almost all of them (except Cornelius Vanderbilt). Very helpful, thank you for the video.

[@NoOne-yc4wl]

Charles Lee? He's a General.. WHEEEEEEEE

[@Fabala827]

Yeah, I had never heard of Charles Lee in school, but since he’s in Hamilton, I definitely wouldn’t consider him unknown anymore, it’s one of the most popular place around right now (but it’s okay, we know Simon doesn’t follow musicals hahaha)… As proven by this comment lol. Big fan of the above line, as well as “Charles Lee was left behind without a pot to p*ss in” 😂

[@mattboldizar59]

I get it!

[@kathyastrom1315]

To quote Hamilton: “Instead of me, [Washington] promotes Charles Lee.” “I’m a general-weeeeee!” “Yeah, he’s not the one I would have gone with. He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth.”

[@bexywexy4040]

So glad someone else wrote this before me 😂😂

[@kathrynkramer8345]

I need to remember to not have a drink before listening to Top Tenz! I can’t listen that fast after a strong drink. I will have to listen to this one at again another day!

[@thomaskiesel6486]

Hey Simon... Google just asked me to review the quality of your work. I think it was the Roman sewer system video on mega projects... it was a pop up review. I politely implied I love your inspirational work and am a danny cumbucket in the dungeon.

[@musicglenn]

Some of these folks indeed “flew their freak flag astonishingly high,” as Simon says. especially #4 & 2. We need more people flying their freak flags high these days, whilst also being generally sane.

[@eurodoc6343]

Charles Lee was a prominent antagonist in the 1984 TV miniseries George Washington, memorably played by familar character actor John Glover. It was quite popular at the time, and was shown in US history classrooms for at least a decade afterwards, so for at least for one generation of Americans, Lee might not be so obscure. "Oh yeah, he's the guy who messed up and got angrily dismissed by Washington during that one battle scene".

[@DustinKoski]

Considering how often Washington messed up, even at battles where he was facing fairly even odds such as at Brandywine with no Charles Lee to pin the blame on, it seems like this miniseries had Lee thrown under the bus to try and deify Washington's military reputation.

[@eurodoc6343]

@@DustinKoski Lee's role was more to provide some dramatic tension. The series protrays Washington more as an inspirational leader, albeit one with a bit of a temper, than tactical genius. The Revolutuonary War really only had one brilliant tactician, and that was Daniel Morgan.

[@80wolfmanrob]

That guy was a true gentleman takes off his brass knuckles to hit women true romantic.

[@punditgi]

One of your most entertaining videos yet!

[@jjdominguez1848]

Good job Simon and to your team

[@jay-t1030]

Vanderbilt has a extremely prestigious college name after him in Tennessee, so I wouldn’t call him obscure.

[@jeffrichards1537]

Also look at the history channels special the men who built America.

[@mta4562]

isn't that anderson coopers family? yeah, never heard of them.

[@bloodandempire]

Lol

[@DrNothing23]

Let alone his Great Niece's fashion contributions!

[@telena5042]

The university is definitely something to be proud of - it has the best medical program in the country, but let's not forget Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville plus the several satellite campus hospitals. The Vanderbilt name means a lot here in TN - I thought ppl from all over the country had heard of the university and hospital.

[@TheJoergenDK]

Awesome. I could add more words, but awsome covers it.

[@rednightfire2655]

Charles Lee... *Assassin's Creed III flashbacks* LEE!!

[@malic_zarith]

They probably should've made him crazier in the game. It's famous that he had a bunch of dogs, but that isn't even referenced. It could've been fun fighting a manic Lee with a pack of attack dogs.

[@jamisonwoodard7521]

Keep up good work simon

[@ExpatriatePaul]

Well done once again Simon, although pretty much every nation has it's share of such people throughout their history. Hoping you'll do a video on the true story of the supposed "Robber Barons" in U.S. history as well, there is a really good book on this subject that simply calls the moniker a myth.

[@MeaganG08]

Wow, Charles Lee is even worse than Hamilton made him out to be.

[@1TrueGem]

Fantastic topic, thank you so much.

[@MWhaleK]

Ben Franklin was a notable eccentric.

[@timothypeterson4781]

Welcome to literally all of history.

[@zalphinian]

Oh no... I'm well aware that my country is full of crazy men and women doing insane things that just so happened to work. Then again, I'm an Oklahoman and it's really hard to gloss over how my state nearly went to war with Texas over a toll bridge. Our first few goveners were freaking insane! It is debatable if that has really changed much as time went on.

[@j.dunlop8295]

"Eccentric!" That's the word genrerally used to describe rich crazy nut-jobs?

[@ketami2]

America: I'm gonna try something Everyone else: No America: YES!!

[@Mr_Dopey]

CNN's Anderson Cooper is a Vanderbilt. They Biltmore Estate was owned by the Vanderbilts. At one point the estates property included 125,000 acres. Today that would have made the property of this home the 5th largest state, just ahead of New Mexico.

[@JoshSweetvale]

Anderson Cooper is Anderson Cooper. If he doesn't want to be a Vanderbilt, then he isn't. You can renounce family.

[@Mr_Dopey]

@@JoshSweetvale I don't think he renounced his family. I believe his family help him get his education at Yale and his internship at the CIA.

[@LopuDesigns]

The way Simon said "splash zone"

[@jacobschuurman5209]

Ok Limey, now let's hear about all the wacky Britts

[@brianstocks8049]

I woiuld also suggest Cassius Clay, not the boxer, the guy the boxer was named after. Clay has some stories that could be fun to look into. He was very much an abolitionist

[@julianaylor4351]

Everyone's history is full of eccentric people, embrace it. ❤️

[@babsbylow6869]

#1 Expresses desire to be killed by lightning. Is reportedly killed by lightning. Not sure if it's fact or legend but it is metal af.

[@scottnunnemaker5209]

You say “many Americans” but this isn’t just an American thing. Literally all of history is a story of desperate individuals grasping at power.

[@benjaminrees6665]

Agreed my father was a huge military history/history guy and always said that history was nothing but simple twists of fate and desperation

[@daveanderson3805]

Didn't Napoleon say that history was a version of events agreed upon by all parties?

[@christineparis5607]

@@benjaminrees6665 Your dad was absolutely correct, in my opinion. The most strange and random incidents seem to inspire, or foil, all planned actions in war. How these events are dealt with seem to separate the geniuses (or the sensible) from those who cannot handle pressure....

[@FeedScrn]

There did seem to be a lot of power-grasping in the U.S. It still continues to this day. Other countries nearby were not so desperate, it seems.

[@daveanderson3805]

@@FeedScrn If you are thinking of Canada, they were,and are, in a different position, as they are a part of the Commonwealth, and,in theory at least, the english Queen is head of state

[@pensepf49]

I love your acknowledging of psychotic anti-slavery voices from years past

[@sttone1969]

Love your stuff Simon. Just wondering where you stand on the fauxnews network OAN

[@damenwhelan3236]

So many of these people held such prominence so long ago. It seems like only last century.

[@sergiomoreno5300]

Hey, Simon! I’ve got a suggestion… How about the top ten as-seen-on-TV products? Have you done that one yet?

[@timh1933]

Simon, love your stuff always. Otis was born in “Barn-sta-ble” MA, it’s a town on Cape Cod. Just a little bit of clarification. Thanks for the video, keep up the great work

[@RandyLunn]

Let’s hear about English history and how the British Empire was built. Slavery in America was a major English business. The founders of America inherited the slavery mess and immediately started to end the practice. 75 years later after the Civil War we finally had the end of slavery. The Uk should pay reparations to the Blacks and to all Americans for cleaning up the mess.

[@sporty22011]

I see his first 28 seconds of supposition bothered you as well. How many Americans still support the manifest destiny of the past? Lol maybe Simon has been watching a little too much liberal media coverage. You make an excellent point on slavery about the British bringing it here and perpetuating it for so long. Britain brought the majority of the 12.5 million African slaves to the new world and most of them died in the Caribbean colonies. Less than 400,000 we’re brought to the southern US.

[@OldNew45]

@@sporty22011 didn't slavery finally become illegal in the UK in the sixties? Wasn't the horrific oppression of northern Ireland still going on THIRTY YEARS AGO? I've seen a few videos recently with, of all people, Stephen Fry comparing prison numbers in the U.S. to legalized slavery. Not sure what the deal is with history-based blame shifting used to passive-aggressively bash the U.S. I'd also really like someone to clarify where subverting the current residents of a place becomes a benevolent act. Rhodesia, for instance.

[@arlenedavis5770]

I'm astonished that you didn't mention Governeur Morris' penchant for strolling the battlements of fortresses in his wife's dresses.

[@asingleverse]

Southern History Teacher: "Now that we're done with the Civil War, let's move on to World War I." Student: "But what about The Reconstruction?" Southern History Teacher: "WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE RECONSTRUCTION HERE!"

[@sporty22011]

Said no teacher ever……

[@asingleverse]

@@sporty22011 The joke Your head

[@ExestentialCrisis]

A true southern history teacher would never say "the Civil War". They would say "the war of Northern aggression". 😁

[@sporty22011]

Simon- first off, I love what you do. The breadth and depth of what you cover is astounding. Usually, I can’t get enough of it. I’m like an information sponge. That being said, you might want to research the point you try to make about Americans still believing in manifest destiny at the beginning of this video. As an American, I’ve never been taught manifest destiny was a good thing, the exact opposite actually. It was America’s biggest sin. Slavery was Britain’s biggest sin! All of our public schools teach about the horrors of manifest destiny and, to a limited extent, the horrendous impact it had on the Native American tribes. I’ve also never met anyone or even heard of anyone in this country condoning manifest destiny but I will admit that I’ve never lived in the south. You don’t have to support manifest destiny to not support reparations either. Slavery was an institution brought here by British and as long as we’ve been a nation we’ve battled the ills of slavery. We’ve paid any reparation owed, and then some, in blood. An estimated 700,000 Americans died to resolve the abhorrent practice of slavery brought here by the British. That’s 700,000 dead Americans for less than 400,000 African slaves brought to the US colonies. No other country paid the price we’ve paid for slavery. Of the over 12 million African slaves brought to the West Indies, mostly by Britain and Portugal, the vast majority of them died there or in South America, not the North American colonies. Then in 1822 Monroe had the US Navy by what is now Liberia as land for freed slaves to go back to. After the civil war most chose not to go. The point is that was our first attempt at financial reparations for Britain’s greatest sin. Additionally, with “affirmative action” and several other social measures we’ve paid trillions more in reparations. You should look into the slavery abolition act of 1833 where Britain actually paid SLAVE OWNERS 20 million pounds, 17 billion pounds adjusted for inflation, for their slaves! That’s insane! Beside that it didn’t end British slavery immediately and not in Asian colonies at all! Britain is the biggest purveyor of slavery the world has ever known! It affects populations everywhere today. I recently read that British taxpayers, INCLUDING YOU, just finished paying off all the loans to repay the British slave owners in 2015! Now how about current British citizens paying reparations to the descendants of ALL the slaves the British empire ever bought and sold? FYI-All these things would make great video topics to explore!

[@reggiefurlow1]

Life long bachelor's that shared a bedroom?

[@susaniacuone5758]

Speaking of the Vans I believe you meant to say 1890 not 1990

[@OldNew45]

Ah, yet another Brit saying how sordid the past of the United States is. Am I the only one who can smell,the irony from here?

[@kenshores9900]

Weirdly good odd and unusual as always.

[@evildwagon7118]

Charles Lee? Wasn't he left behind without a pot to piss in? Didn't he tell this to anybody who would listen?

[@mda7763]

Speaking of reparations isn't it about time that Italy paid reparations to northern Europe and that England wrote checks to everyone in India....

[@Bubbaist]

An episode about Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with the kite in a lightning storm would be interesting. Just don’t try that one at home.

[@Foolish188]

A Shocking number of people have died trying to replicate the kite experiment.

[@FeedScrn]

Really interesting video. Of course I never heard of any of these people... which makes it so interesting. Wish that it was two hours longer, with more historical depth, if possible.

[@lehammsamm]

Sounds like a blaze episode is needed. 😁 Get on it, Danny!

[@100proofcrew]

These days, I too prefer the company of dogs to people, totally get that Charles Lee

[@ronvosick8253]

Eccentric the kind name for being odd.

[@benjaminrees6665]

Ben Avery. Spot on

[@JT-ev5jh]

“Eastman took off his brass knuckles to hit women”‼️😮‍💨🤦🏽‍♂️🤣🤣. Can’t imagine how the men faired.

[@bradreed4414]

Charles lee is relatively unknown….unless you played assassins creed 3 lol

[@kryan1234567890]

Vanderbilt University in Tennessee was founded and named after Cornelius Vanderbilt. Also, there’s a street in NYC named in his honor... he wasn’t “lost” to history. PS: CNN’s political commentator Anderson Cooper is a direct descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt.

[@reggiefurlow1]

How is Vanderbilt obscure?

[@IAmSweetPea]

You must do top ten Betty White moments…… pretty please

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

12:03. James Otis was from Barnstable (there’s no such town as Barnstown) in Cape Cod. That’s the same town where the famous Kennedy compound is located. He should be more famous than his is; but his daughter, Mercy Otis Warren, should be revered as much as any of the “Fathers” of our country. She was a powerhouse! You should do a whole video about her.

[@SafetySpooon]

Was just scrolling down here to say this! (But I did think she was his *sister*)

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

@@SafetySpooon Yes. Sister. My mistake. Both her father and brother were named James and, to my mind, her father was more historically significant (he was John Adams’ mentor at Harvard). I guess I didn’t pay enough attention to Simon’s comment. Yeah, Mercy was my favorite founding female. Total badass!! My daughter and I took pictures of each other in front of her statue in Barnstable.

[@GrievousReborn]

So Assassin's Creed 3 got Charles Lee for the most part historically accurate

[@swiley223]

I'm stealing the 'freak flag' line...

[@KyleBoise]

Damn. Much love for Lucy Parsons. If only people would actually come together against the rich.

[@fastact5926]

Not to burst your bubble fact boy.. But.. Vanderbilt is taught in America to have been one of the four fathers of the industrial revolution in our nation. Other than that, love the video! Been watching almost every channel of yours and listening to casual criminalist for about 2 1/2 years now!!

[@Spacepilot616]

Anderson Cooper is a Vanderbilt

[@ojnopulp4563]

I only know Charles Lee from "Hamilton"

[@shugadaddy4841]

I can totally relate to liking dogs more than humans

[@outtagoodnamesdangit]

Lucy Parsons: "Let us kill (the rich) without mercy, and let it be a war of extermination without pity." ...Gal mighta been on to something, ya know.

[@btetschner]

Wow, Eastman created the American tradition of drive by shooting...that is a piece of gang history there.

[@btetschner]

That guy's bio is very interesting.

[@____username____]

If you live in the Hudson valley or nyc you know the name of Vanderbilt for sure 👌🏼

[@empressoftheknownuniverse]

I will admit that I initially rolled my eyes when I read the title, but this was a fun dive into American obscure arcanery. Especially the "Gallager's Bible". SpellCheck: did I miss an "H" in Gallager?

[@deadlyshotta2893]

American history from a foreign perspective .

[@budwilliams6590]

Why don't you leave us poor Yanks alone and concentrate on the East India Company?

[@jessewilson8676]

I feel you might benefit from a fact checker primarily on the dates

[@reggiefurlow1]

Kinda started off snarky no? Why the vitriol

[@barrydysert2974]

Obscure American mini-biographies! Simon, i have died and gone to heaven! 🙏😍🆙 Charles Calistus Burleigh my newest Greatest American Hero. Or should that be Hairo? 😂

[@netto6681]

Lucy Parsons had the right idea. She sounds like a cool chick.

[@KS-PNW]

Hope Brain Blaze is returning soon 😉

[@mikeshilling8499]

Who knew Simon knows what is or is not taught in U.S. history

[@Zackaria_sMax]

9:39 ahh yes, Goovernor Morris.

[@joetompkins4523]

Flying the freak flag!!!!!!

[@swiley223]

Wait wait wait.... wishing to die by lightning, which he did? You can't just throw that out there and sign off!!!

[@Pawpawlogan]

America!

[@beachboy0505]

Excellent video 📹 So, it's all made up as you go along?? 😆

[@davidtownsend6092]

Cleveland yea baby

[@lostsith]

Lucy! One of the original Wobblies and a hero 1000x over.

[@chadwickhayward9581]

Found a flub. Said “by 1990” not “1890”

[@cajunlinks]

Vanderbilt is one of the most prestigious names in the U.S. Often mentioned in the same breath as the Astors and the Carnegies. Actually better known than Carnegie. Incorrect this time Simon.

[@rajackson50]

These are actually “Regular” American stories! 🤷🏾‍♂️✊🏿🇺🇸

[@sahilakhtar8815]

Where is Howard Hughes?

[@chowdercat1776]

Where is Charles Lee?

[@jeffrichards1537]

I agree with Charles Lee I like dogs more than most people. Not looking to stab u in the back or use you.

[@multiyapples]

Thanks for letting us know about these people.

[@patriciapalmer1377]

And who said Britain had all the great eccentrics...

[@ravenhill_of_midsummer_1968]

being mixed race must be tough, but being mixed race in those era's must of been a nightmare.

[@tammystockley-loughlin7680]

Unless you could "pass". Positive vibes from New Hampshire, remember to be kind to each other and yourself during this pandemic and social crisis

[@tammystockley-loughlin7680]

@@ravenhill_of_midsummer_1968 wasn't thinking that you were...I have biracial folks in my family...some you can see that there's more than 1 race involved...others got weird looks while out with the parent who doesn't look like them. Relax...no attack thrown your way...just saying.

[@mlucas4144]

🖤 Lucy parsons

[@mattkastely1938]

The Vans 1990?

[@bigstve61345]

Hit the like just because the intro was absolutely correct.

[@ralphhooker6019]

Now I am thoroughly confused. Thanks as always Simon.

[@bexywexy4040]

Poor Charles Lee, he is known for a game and a musical.

[@gordonwallin2368]

No. 11 could be Trump. As a Causual Canadian observer.

[@servomoore]

Not obscure is the thing.

[@uprebel5150]

America is awesomeness at its pinnacle.