Notable Homeschoolers Who Changed History

From ancient philosophers to Olympic champions, these self-taught and homeschooled figures shaped the world—and continue to inspire the next generation.

NOTE: For historical context, in earlier centuries, formal schooling was rare or inaccessible, so “home education” often meant informal learning, tutoring, or apprenticeship.

Not all people listed below are persons of faith.

Early History and Classical Foundations (Before 1600)

Foundations of Thought and Tradition

  • Socrates (469–399 BCE): Classical Greek philosopher; self-taught with no formal education, he mentored Plato and significantly influenced Western thought.
  • Plato (428–348 BCE): Ancient Greek philosopher; informally educated by Socrates and later mentored Aristotle, leaving a lasting legacy on education and philosophy.
  • Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE): Conqueror and ruler of the Macedonian Empire; educated by Aristotle in philosophy, science, and warfare.
  • Marco Polo (1254–1324): Venetian merchant and explorer; informally educated by his family in trade, languages, and navigation.
  • Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519): Renaissance polymath; informally educated at home and through mentorship, excelling in art, science, and engineering.
  • Galileo Galilei (1564–1642): Italian astronomer and physicist; informally educated by his father before attending university, where he challenged traditional teachings.
  • Pocahontas (c. 1596–1617): Powhatan woman and peacemaker; informally educated through the oral traditions and cultural practices of her community.

Age of Enlightenment and Early Modern Era (1600–1800)

Illuminating Minds and Movements

  • John Milton (1608–1674): English poet and author of Paradise Lost; homeschooled by his father and private tutors, deeply influenced by his Christian faith.
  • Blaise Pascal (1623–1662): Homeschooled by his father with an emphasis on Latin, Greek, and mathematics; became a pioneering mathematician, physicist, and Christian philosopher.
  • Isaac Newton (1643–1727): Renowned scientist and mathematician; homeschooled during his early years, tying his scientific inquiry to his faith in God.
  • William Penn (1644–1718): English Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania; privately tutored at home during his elementary years in London and Ireland before attending Chigwell School and Oxford.
  • Jonthan Edwards (1703–1758): After rigorous schooling at home, this American theologian attended Yale College at the age of thirteen. He is known for his Enfield sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741).
  • Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790): Founding Father, inventor, and writer; largely self-taught after only two years of formal schooling.
  • John Adams (1735–1826): Second U.S. president and Founding Father; homeschooled by his father before attending Harvard.
  • Patrick Henry (1736–1799): Founding Father and orator of the American Revolution; homeschooled by his father and uncle.
  • Charles Peale (1741–1827): Self-taught and educated through apprenticeships, American painter and polymath; founded one of the first U.S. museums and painted over 1,000 portraits, including George Washington
  • Abigail Adams (1744–1818): First Lady and advocate for women’s education; educated at home by her parents.
  • John Jay (1745–1829): First chief justice of the United States; homeschooled before attending King’s College (now Columbia University).
  • Benjamin Rush (1746–1813): Signer of the Declaration of Independence and prominent physician; homeschooled before attending Princeton.
  • John Paul Jones (1747–1792): Received informal early education in rural Scotland before apprenticing at the British Merchant Marine at age thirteen; later became the “Father of the American Navy.”
  • Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753–1784): Enslaved as a child and taught to read and write by her Boston household; mastered classical literature and published poetry by age twenty, becoming the first African American woman to publish a book in the U.S.
  • Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804): Founding Father and first secretary of the treasury; largely self-taught and homeschooled during his early years in the Caribbean.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Prolific composer; homeschooled by his father, Leopold Mozart, who provided rigorous training in music.
  • Noah Webster (1758–1843): Lexicographer and “Father of American Scholarship and Education”; homeschooled before attending Yale.
  • Jane Austen (1775–1817): Author of Pride and Prejudice; homeschooled by her father and brothers, nurtured by access to a vast library.
  • Sacajawea (c. 1788–1812): Lemhi Shoshone guide; learned survival skills and practical knowledge from her community and life experiences, later aiding the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
  • Michael Faraday (1791–1867): Self-educated through Sunday school and apprenticeship reading; pioneered electromagnetism and electrochemistry.
  • Peter Cooper (1791–1883): Self-taught inventor and philanthropist; built Tom Thumb, the first American steam locomotive, and founded Cooper Union to offer free education in art and science.
  • Sojourner Truth (1797–1883): Abolitionist and women’s rights activist; homeschooled herself after escaping slavery, learning to read and write later in life to spread her powerful message.

Industrial Age and 19th Century Innovators (1800–1900)

Ingenuity and Social Reform

  • Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875): Danish author best known for fairy tales like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling; early years shaped by informal learning, private tutoring, and patron-supported study.
  • Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865): Sixteenth U.S. president; self-educated through extensive reading at home.
  • Frederick Douglass (1818–1895): Abolitionist, writer, and orator; largely self-taught and homeschooled after escaping slavery, becoming one of the most influential voices for freedom and equality.
  • Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906): Women’s rights activist and suffragist; homeschooled by her father, who emphasized equality and education.
  • Florence Nightingale (1820–1910): Founder of modern nursing; homeschooled by her father, who taught her mathematics, philosophy, and multiple languages.
  • Clara Barton (1821–1912): Founder of the American Red Cross; homeschooled and later became a symbol of compassion and service.
  • Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888): Author of Little Women; received much of her early education at home, shaped by her mother’s activism and encouragement to write.
  • Lewis Carroll (1832–1898): Homeschooled by his father before Oxford; fused logic and imagination in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, shaping literary and mathematical thought.
  • Dwight L. Moody (1837–1899): Evangelist and educator; left formal schooling after fifth grade and pursued self-education through faith and ministry. Founded schools and churches that shaped evangelical outreach across America and Britain.
  • Claude Monet (1840–1926): Iconic French Impressionist painter; informally educated at home, opting for self-directed learning and mentorship instead of formal schooling.
  • Elijah McCoy (1844–1929): African American inventor; homeschooled before studying mechanical engineering in Scotland.
  • Thomas Edison (1847–1931): Inventor of the light bulb and phonograph; homeschooled after being labeled “difficult” in traditional school.
  • Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922): Inventor of the telephone; homeschooled by his mother, with later self-directed learning in sound and communication.
  • Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894): Author of Treasure Island; homeschooled due to health issues, nurtured by private tutors and his nurse, Allison Cunningham.
  • Booker T. Washington (1856–1915): Educator and civil rights leader; began his education at home while working as a child.
  • Pierre Curie (1859–1906): Received home instruction from his father in Paris; became a pioneering physicist whose discoveries in magnetism and radioactivity reshaped modern science.
  • Grandma Moses (1860–1961): Folk artist; informally educated at home and through life, known for nostalgic rural scenes like Sugaring Off, painted after age 78.
  • George Washington Carver (c.1864–1943): Self-educated in childhood through home study and observation; rose to prominence as a pioneering agricultural scientist and advocate for sustainable farming.
  • Beatrix Potter (1866–1943): Author and illustrator; homeschooled by governesses, creator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957): Author of the Little House on the Prairie series; homeschooled intermittently and later homeschooled her own daughter.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959): Renowned architect; homeschooled by his mother before attending high school.
  • The Wright Brothers (Orville: 1871–1948, Wilbur: 1867–1912): Aviation pioneers; homeschooled by their parents, who encouraged curiosity and experimentation.
  • Robert Frost (1874–1963): Poet; homeschooled early on, later becoming one of America’s most celebrated literary figures.
  • Winston Churchill (1874–1965): British statesman, homeschooled in early childhood before attending Harrow and Sandhurst.
  • Helen Keller (1880–1968): Author and activist; homeschooled by her teacher Anne Sullivan, overcoming immense challenges to achieve greatness.
  • Agatha Christie (1890–1976): Mystery author; homeschooled by her mother, creator of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
  • Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973): Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author; homeschooled by her missionary parents in China.
  • Amelia Earhart (1897–1937): Aviator; homeschooled by her mother and a governess, became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
  • C.S. Lewis (1898–1963): Christian apologist and author of The Chronicles of Narnia; homeschooled by tutors before attending boarding school.

Modern Era and Contemporary Achievers (1900–Present)

Shaping the Future with Purpose

  • Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009): Realist painter; homeschooled by his father, creator of Christina's World and The Helga Pictures, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  • Maria Tallchief (1925–2013): America’s first prima ballerina and member of the Osage Nation; homeschooled in her early years to focus on dance.
  • Samuel Chao Chung Ting (1936–): Nobel-winning physicist; homeschooled in China until age twelve, later co-discovered a new particle that deepened our understanding of matter’s building blocks.
  • Jamie Wyeth (1946–): American realist painter, privately trained from age twelve by his father Andrew Wyeth and aunt Carolyn Wyeth; known for vivid portraits and expressive animal studies
  • Condoleezza Rice (1954–): Former U.S. Secretary of State; homeschooled by her mother during her early years.
  • Venus and Serena Williams (1980–, 1981–): Tennis champions; homeschooled to focus on their athletic training.
  • Michelle Kwan (1980–): Olympic figure skater; homeschooled to accommodate her demanding training schedule.
  • Misty Copeland (1982–): First African American principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre; homeschooled to focus on ballet training.
  • Christopher Paolini (1983–): American fantasy and sci-fi author, homeschooled through high school and graduated at fifteen; published Eragon at nineteen, launching the bestselling Inheritance Cycle series.
  • Esperanza Spalding(1984–): Grammy-winning jazz musician and child prodigy, homeschooled before music academy.
  • Tim Tebow (1987–): Professional athlete and Heisman Trophy winner; homeschooled by his parents, who emphasized faith, academics, and sports.
  • Blake Griffin (1989–): NBA star; homeschooled by his mother from first to eighth grade before attending high school.
  • Joey Logano (1990–): NASCAR Cup Series champion; homeschooled to support early racing pursuits, becoming the youngest winner in series history at age nineteen.
  • Arran Fernandez (1995–): British mathematician and child prodigy; homeschooled from age five, passed GCSEs at seven, and entered Cambridge at fifteen as its youngest undergraduate since the 18th century.
  • Julian Trevelyan (1998–): British pianist; homeschooled from early childhood, won international acclaim at sixteen and now performs globally as a champion of contemporary classical music.

Source References

  1. Socrates: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Socrates
  2. Plato: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato
  3. Alexander the Great: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great
  4. Marco Polo: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marco-Polo
  5. Leonardo da Vinci: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonardo-da-Vinci
  6. Galileo Galilei: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei
  7. Pocahontas: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pocahontas
  8. John Milton: https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Milton
  9. Blaise Pascal: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blaise-Pascal
  10. Isaac Newton: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Newton
  11. William Penn: https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Penn
  12. Jonathan Edwards: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jonathan-Edwards
  13. Benjamin Franklin: https://fi.edu/en/science-and-education/benjamin-franklin/inventions
  14. John Adams: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2016/10/john-adams-at-harvard
  15. Patrick Henry: https://chalcedon.edu/resources/articles/patrick-henry-homeschooled-christian-patriot
  16. Charles Peale: https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/peales-philadelphia-museum
  17. Abigail Adams: https://www.jackmillercenter.org/article/abigail-adams-on-civic-education
  18. John Jay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jay
  19. Benjamin Rush: https://pr.princeton.edu/history/companion/rush_benjamin.html
  20. John Paul Jones: https://www.history.com/articles/john-paul-jones
  21. Phillis Wheatley: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/phillis-wheatley
  22. Alexander Hamilton: https://allthingsliberty.com/2020/10/alexander-hamiltons-missing-years-new-discoveries-and-insights-into-the-little-lions-caribbean-childhood
  23. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: https://www.cpr.org/2022/09/28/mozarts-home-school-education
  24. Noah Webster: https://caas.yale.edu/our-founders/noah-webster
  25. Jane Austen: https://encouragingmomsathome.com/jane-austen-homeschool-resource-list
  26. Sacajawea: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sacagawea
  27. Michael Faraday: https://nationalmaglab.org/magnet-academy/history-of-electricity-magnetism/pioneers/michael-faraday
  28. Peter Cooper: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peter-Cooper
  29. Sojourner Truth: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sojourner-Truth
  30. Hans Christian Andersen: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hans-Christian-Andersen
  31. Abraham Lincoln: https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/february-12
  32. Frederick Douglass: https://www.nps.gov/frdo/learn/historyculture/frederickdouglass.htm
  33. Susan B. Anthony: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/susan-b-anthony
  34. Florence Nightingale: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Florence-Nightingale
  35. Clara Barton: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/clara-barton.html
  36. Louisa May Alcott: https://www.louisamayalcott.org/about-louisa-may-alcott
  37. Lewis Carroll: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lewis-Carroll
  38. Dwight L. Moody: https://www.moody.edu/about/moody-legacy/dwight-l-moody
  39. Claude Monet: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claude-Monet
  40. Elijah McCoy: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/mccoy-elijah-1844-1929
  41. Thomas Edison: https://www.nps.gov/edis/learn/historyculture/thomas-edison.htm
  42. Alexander Graham Bell: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Graham-Bell
  43. Robert Louis Stevenson: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Louis-Stevenson
  44. Booker T. Washington: https://www.nps.gov/bowa/learn/historyculture/booker-t-washington.htm
  45. Pierre Curie: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-Curie
  46. Grandma Moses: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Grandma-Moses
  47. George Washington Carver: https://www.nps.gov/gwca/learn/historyculture/george-washington-carver-biography.htm
  48. Beatrix Potter: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/beatrix-potter-gallery
  49. Laura Ingalls Wilder: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pioneergirl-laura-ingalls-wilder-biography
  50. Frank Lloyd Wright: https://www.franklloydwright.org/frank-lloyd-wright
  51. The Wright Brothers: https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/learn/historyculture/the-wright-brothers.htm
  52. Robert Frost: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/robert-frost
  53. Winston Churchill: https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/in-depth/young-churchill
  54. Helen Keller: https://www.afb.org/about-afb/history/helen-keller
  55. Agatha Christie: https://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie
  56. Pearl S. Buck: https://www.pearlbuckcenter.com/pearl-s-buck
  57. Amelia Earhart: https://www.ameliaearhartmuseum.org/amelia-earhart
  58. C.S. Lewis: https://www.cslewis.com/about
  59. Andrew Wyeth: https://www.brandywine.org/museum/collections/andrew-wyeth
  60. Maria Tallchief: https://www.womenhistory.org/education-resources/biographies/maria-tallchief
  61. Samuel Chao Chung Ting: https://physics.mit.edu/faculty/samuel-ting
  62. Jamie Wyeth: https://www.mfa.org/news/wyeth-fact-sheet
  63. Condoleezza Rice: https://www.homeschoolingheroes.com/how-to-teach-at-home/homeschooling-hero-condoleezza-rice
  64. Venus and Serena Williams: https://www.homeschoolingheroes.com/how-to-teach-at-home/homeschooling-hero-serena-williams
  65. Michelle Kwan: https://www.homeschoolingheroes.com/how-to-teach-at-home/homeschooling-hero-michelle-kwan
  66. Misty Copeland: https://www.homeschoolingheroes.com/how-to-teach-at-home/homeschooling-heroes-misty-copeland
  67. Christopher Paolini: https://www.paolini.net/educators
  68. Esperanza Spalding: https://achievement.org/achiever/esperanza-spalding
  69. Tim Tebow: https://www.homeschoolfacts.com/are-tim-tebow-laws-a-touchdown-for-homeschool-students
  70. Blake Griffin: https://www.homeschoolingheroes.com/how-to-teach-at-home/blake-griffin-taylor-griffin-homeschooling-heroes
  71. Joey Logano: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joey-Logano
  72. Arran Fernandez: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arran_Fernandez
  73. Julian Trevelyan: https://www.juliantrevelyan.co.uk/
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