The Medicis were a powerful family from Florence, who, with the hereditary ruling system in place, influenced Italy and Europe from the 13th to the 17th century. Popes Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI were of Medici descent. The family achieved power through The Medici Bank with Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, which was one of the most prosperous and respected banks in Europe. In 1434, the Medici family became unofficial head of the state of Florentine republic. The senior branch of the family ruled until 1537, when Alessandro de' Medici was assasinated, whereby the junior branch of the family took over.

Marco Polo was a trader and explorer who was born on September 15, 1254 and died on January 8, 1324. He was one of the first to travel to China and visit Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan).

Durante degli Alighieri (known as Dante) was a poet from Florence, Italy. He was born June 1, 1265, and died September 13/14, 1321. He is known for his work, The Divine Comedy, of which the part Inferno is most widely known. It is considered Europe's greatest literary statement from the medieval period.

Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) was born in 1386 and died on December 13, 1466. He was a famous sculptor and artist of Florence in the Early Renaissance. Famous statues include Gattamelata, and David.

Leone Battista Alberti was an Italian painter, poet, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, musician, architect, and polymath during the Italian Renaissance. He was born February 14, 1404 and died April 25, 1472. He was educated at the University of Bologna in law, and toured Europe during his twenties. He is famous for the first study of scientific perspective, and for numerous architectural buildings.

Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi (otherwise known as Sandro Botticelli), was born on March 1, 1445 and died on May 17, 1510. He was a painter of the Florentine school during the Early Renaissance. He is most famous for his painting, The Birth of Venus.

Cristoforo Columbo (Christopher Columbus) was born in 1451 and died May 20, 1506. He was an explorer and trader who sailed to America, reaching it on October 12, 1492. His discovery initiated the colonization of the Americas.

Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, astrologer, physicist, and philospher closely associeted with the scientific revolution. He was born February 15, 1564 and died January 8, 1642. He improves the telescope, observed various aspects of astronomy, developed the first and second laws of motion, and found proof to support Copernicanism. The conflict Galileo experienced with the Roman Catholic Church is seen as an example of the freedom of though conflict.

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was born December 22, 1858 and died November 29, 1924. He composed Madame Butterfly and La Bohème and thus is regarded as a great operatic composer of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was born July 29, 1883 and died April 28, 1945. He was the politcal leader of Italy from 1922 to 1943. His charisma, total control of the media, and intimidation of rivals allowed him to disassemble the democratic system of government, whereby he used propaganda and state terror to create a fascist government. He joined sides with Germany and entered World War II, placing Italy under target by the Allies. This mistake led to his defeat and death.

Sergio Leone was an Italian film director, born on January 3, 1929 and died on April 30, 1989. He is well known for his Dollars Trilogy, which includes A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, which established Clint Eastwood as a star.

Luciano Pavarotti is an Italian Tenor singer born on October 12, 1935. He is reknowned for his voice in opera. Pavarotti's became an internationally known celebrity when his rendition of "Nessun Dorma" by Giacomo Puccini became the theme song of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.