Heroes Versus Villains Throughout History
By | May 29, 2019
Captain James Cook. Source: (National Geographic)
There are a lot of heroes down through history that have been recognized for their place in history or have simply become household names because of their popularity. Villains have also taken their place in history leaving their deadly mark on humanity in one way or another.
Hero From The 1700s
During the 1700s, Captain James Cook was a British navigator and explorer who was the first to discover the Hawaiian Islands. He went on many voyages in the Pacific while mapping out various islands including New Zealand. Besides the discovery of New Zealand, he also discovered and charted coastlines between Australia and North America as well as many islands along the way. What really makes him a hero is that he was able to create the most accurate maps of the Pacific Ocean during that time period which made the South Seas a safer place to travel in.
Silent Mary Pirate Ship. Source: (pirates.wikia.com)
Villain From The 1700s
Samuel Bellamy nicknamed “Black Sam” was an active pirate for about 16 months during the years 1716-1717. During this time, he captured over 50 ships. Before he died at the age of 28, he had accumulated about $120 million. Bellamy first started under Henry Jennings who was a Buccaneer before becoming a pirate. Bellamy took off for the Bahamas after double-crossing Jennings and then took up with Benjamin Horningold, who he later grew impatient with, so he and the crew took over the Mary Anne by a vote of no confidence. Bellamy then became the captain.
Susan B. Anthony. Source: (newsd.co)
Hero From The 1800s
Susan B. Anthony was a social reformer who led the woman suffrage movement paving the way for women’s rights through lectures and campaigns as she traveled across the United States. She also organized the National Woman Suffrage Association and was the first woman to be pictured on a U.S. coin.
Jack the Ripper. Source: (assassinscreed.wikia.com)
Villain From The 1800s
In 1888, a serial killer nicknamed “Jack the Ripper” killed five prostitutes within 12 weeks on the east side of London. The reason for his nickname is that not only did he cut their throats but also mutilated their stomach areas to remove internal organs from some of them. Letters were sent to the media claiming to be the murderer with at least one of these letters being accompanied by a half human kidney supposedly from one of the victims. There is speculation as to the validity of the letters. The murders were never solved.
Elvis Presley. Source: (biography.com)
Hero From The 1900s
The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley became a hero to many, particularly the girls. He rose to fame and fortune almost overnight. From a little tiny house in Memphis to a huge mansion called Graceland, he suddenly had everything he could ever want. Unfortunately, fame and fortune came at a huge price. The stress was so great that he resorted to pills which negatively affected his health and led to his ultimate demise. To this day, he still has a huge fan base that misses him and listens to his music.
Josef Mengele. Source: (thelocal.de)
Villain From The 1900s
Nicknamed the “Angel of Death,” Dr. Josef Mengele was a Nazi doctor at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. He tortured and killed countless thousands of Jews, especially children by performing all sorts of vile and cruel experiments on them. His experiments included freezing chambers, lethal germs, sex change operations, surgical procedures without anesthesia, blood transfusions, and more. He had a particular interest in twins from age five and up. Some of those experiments included changing the color of their eyes by injecting chemicals into their eyes and sewing the twins together. When he was finished with his horrible experiments on them, he would kill them by dissecting them.
