Every so often there is a courageous leader who stands up against injustice and achieves a significant change in society. These leaders can be different in many aspects, but all of them need to be courageous. They are capable of standing up for something, knowing it might cause the end of their careers, their liberty, or even their lives. Usually, these leaders suffer horrible consequences for defending what they consider to be correct. Being a courageous leader is a tough task. Kennedy describes three types of pressures a courageous leader needs to overcome. The first one is the pressure to be liked and approved by the people. The second one is the pressure to be re-elected. Finally, the third one is the pressure to satisfy all the special interest groups. Both Thomas Hart Benton and Leopoldo Lopez are courageous…show more content… Their political careers were molded during times of crisis in their countries. Kennedy alleged that “great crises produce great men, and great deeds of courage” (Kennedy 51). As Kennedy stated, Thomas Hart Benton showed his heroism during the biggest crisis that the United States of America has known. He was the Senator from Missouri during the conflicts that culminated in the war between the North and South. Like Benton, Leopoldo Lopez’s diplomatic career started during one of the toughest crises Venezuela has faced in many years. He arose as a political leader during the sixteen years of the despotic government of Hugo Rafael Chavez, from 1998 until present days. Both of them lived in a period of crisis, THAT helped them to be courageous, because they worked hard and risked everything to help their country overcome that crisis. The sense of nationalism helped both Thomas and Leopoldo fight for the commonwealth of their countries, because they knew that without their hard work and dedication their countries would fail to overcome these times of