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Countless streets in Washington are named after prominent historical figures, offering tourists and residents a chance to brush up on their U.S. history simply by paying more attention to those little green signs. The List has a description for a few of the lesser-known names, because if you don't know who Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are, you might need to visit your fifth grade history teacher.

1. MacArthur Blvd.

   Douglas MacArthur was general of the U.S. Army from 1925 to 1937. He served as a general and field marshal of the Philippine Army, receiving the Medal of Honor for his service in the Philippines Campaign, and was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in the 1930s.

2. Clara Barton Pkwy.

   Clara Barton was the founder and president of the American Red Cross beginning in 1881. As a nurse who served soldiers during the American Civil War, Barton recognized the need for an organization to provide medical response to war and other crises.

3. Custis Memorial Pkwy. (I-66)

   Custis Memorial Pkwy. commemorates the Custis family. Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was the wife of first president George Washington. Much of her family was raised in Mount Vernon and played a prominent role in Northern Virginia's history.

4. George Mason Dr.

   George Mason IV was a delegate from Virginia to the 1787 U.S. Constitutional Convention, considered along with James Madison as the "father of the Bill of Rights" and thereby one of the "founding fathers" of the United States.

5. Chappie James Blvd.

   Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. In 1975, James became the first black American to reach the rank of four-star general.

6. Lee and Grant Avenues

   Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant were both military commanders during the Civil War. Lee is best know for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, defeated by Grant's command of the Union Army. Both Avenues in Takoma Park (laid out shortly after the Civil War ended) were named after the military leaders.

7. Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave.

   Burroughs was an African American educator, orator and religious leader at the start of the 20th century. She gained national recognition when she delivered her speech "How the Sisters Are Hindered from Helping," at the National Baptist Convention in 1900.

8. Malcolm X Ave.

   Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist whose advocacy for African American rights was considered courageous and revolutionary by admirers, but racist, antisemitic and violent by detractors. He is acknowledged by many as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history.

9. Isaac Hull Ave.

   Isaac Hull was a Commodore of the U.S. Navy from 1798 to 1843. He captained the Chesapeake, President and Constitution during his service, and the U.S. Navy has named five ships in honor of him.

10. Van Dorn St.

    Earl Van Dorn was a career officer in the U.S. Army, fighting during the Mexican-American War and against several tribes of Native Americans. He later served as a Confederate general during the Civil War and was murdered by a civilian in the spring of 1863.