The most influential people in history (Michael H. Hart's The 100)
The top 3 according to 67 votes from people: Confucius · Muhammad · Buddha. (Updated Sep 9, 2026.)
The top 25 of Michael H. Hart's book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History (1978, revised 1992), ranked by influence rather than greatness. Hart put Muhammad first and Newton second.
Top 25
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1
Confucius
551-479 BC. Chinese philosopher.
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2
Muhammad
c. 570-632. Prophet of Islam; Hart ranked him first for his religious and political influence.
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3
Buddha
c. 563-483 BC. Founder of Buddhism.
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4
Christopher Columbus
1451-1506. His 1492 voyage linked Europe and the Americas.
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5
Galileo Galilei
1564-1642. Father of modern science.
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6
Isaac Newton
1643-1727. Laws of motion and universal gravitation.
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7
Cai Lun
c. 50-121. Traditionally credited with inventing paper.
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8
Johannes Gutenberg
c. 1400-1468. Printing with movable type.
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9
Louis Pasteur
1822-1895. Germ theory and vaccines.
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10
Euclid
c. 300 BC. The Elements, the basis of geometry.
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11
Charles Darwin
1809-1882. Evolution by natural selection.
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12
Jesus
c. 4 BC-c. AD 30. Central figure of Christianity.
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13
Paul the Apostle
c. 5-c. 67. Spread Christianity beyond Judaism.
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14
Albert Einstein
1879-1955. Relativity.
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15
Aristotle
384-322 BC. Philosopher and scientist.
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16
Qin Shi Huang
259-210 BC. First emperor of a unified China.
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17
Antoine Lavoisier
1743-1794. Father of modern chemistry.
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18
Constantine the Great
c. 272-337. First Christian Roman emperor.
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19
Michael Faraday
1791-1867. Electromagnetic induction.
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20
Martin Luther
1483-1546. The Protestant Reformation.
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21
George Washington
First President of the United States; also in Hart's The 100.
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22
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Inventors of the first successful powered airplane (1903); also in Hart's The 100.
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23
Moses
Prophet and lawgiver of Judaism.
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24
Augustus
63 BC-AD 14. First Roman emperor.
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25
Alexander the Great
King of Macedon whose conquests reached from Greece to India; also in Hart's The 100.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 25… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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26
Nicolaus Copernicus
1473-1543. Heliocentrism.
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27
James Watt
1736-1819. Improved steam engine.
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28
James Clerk Maxwell
1831-1879. Electromagnetic theory.
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29
Karl Marx
Philosopher and economist, author of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital; also in Hart's The 100.
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30
Genghis Khan
Founder of the Mongol Empire; also in Hart's The 100.
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31
Adam Smith
Author of The Wealth of Nations (1776), father of modern economics; also in Hart's The 100.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (1)
Hart's book is controversial but a fun read.