Meet 12 Women Who Changed History
March is Women’s History Month, and you can choose from many amazing women who changed history to teach about.
Here are twelve women brave enough to defend their beliefs, show mercy to others, and change how we live today.
Sacagawea (1788-1812)
Sacagawea is best known for leading Lewis and Clark on their expedition of the territory, the Louisianna Purchase, in 1805.
Sacagawea, a member of the Shoshone tribe, was captured by the Hidatsa tribe when she was only 11 years old.
Later, she accompanied Lewis and Clark along the new territory, the Louisiana Purchase, with her young baby in tow.
The journey was long and difficult, but Sacagawea was able to lead the men across the Great Plains and over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
Without her help, the expedition would surely have failed.
Read more about Sacagawea and her bravery in this blog post, Sacagawea, a Woman Who Changed History.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
Florence Nightingale is best known for making nursing the profession it is today.
Florence Nightingale knew she wanted to become a nurse from a young age.
In 1854, she went to the front lines of the Crimean War to care for sick and wounded soldiers. Confronted with deplorable hospital conditions, Nightingale realized how important clean conditions, fresh food, and water were to the soldiers’ health.
Her work in the war earned her the nickname “The Lady with the Lantern.” Late at night, she was often seen visiting the soldiers, ensuring they were comfortable, and helping them write letters home.
When Nightingale returned to England in 1856 after the war, she was seen as a hero. Many believed her work helped the army win the Crimean War.
Read more about Florence Nightingale and her battle to change how people treated those who were sick in this post, Florence Nightingale, A Woman Who Changed History.
Harriet Tubman (1822-1913)
Harriet Tubman is best known for her work helping many African Americans find their way to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
Harriet Tubman was born as an enslaved person in Maryland in 1822.
When Harriet was almost 30 years old, she escaped from slavery using the Underground Railroad, making it to Pennsylvania.
Later, Harriet joined the Underground Railroad and helped over 300 enslaved people escape to freedom.
Read more about Harriet Tubman’s bravery in this post, Harriet Tubman, A Woman Who Changed History.
Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)
Susan B. Anthony is best known for spending most of her life fighting for women’s right to vote in the United States.
Susan grew up in the Quaker religion. Quakers strongly believe that all people are equal regardless of race or sex. This would have a profound impact on the direction Susan’s life would take.
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton became very close friends and worked together to fight for the civil rights of both African Americans and women.
In 1878, Susan and Elizabeth introduced an amendment before Congress giving women the right to vote. But, getting an amendment passed is a long and challenging task.
Susan B. Anthony died fourteen years before Congress passed the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
But her lifelong dedication was instrumental in gaining women this right. Read more about her fight in the post, Susan B. Anthony, a Woman Who Changed History.
Nellie McClung (1873-1951)
Nellie McClung was one of Canada’s most famous suffragists. She was an author, politician, and social activist who was instrumental in gaining women the right to vote in Canada.
In 1908, she published her first book, Sowing Seeds in Danny, about people living in a small western town struggling to make ends meet. It became a national bestseller and launched McClung’s career as a public speaker.
In 1912, McClung and fourteen other women formed the Women’s Political Equality League. Their work focused on gaining women the right to vote, and in 1916, their work paid off. Manitoba became the first province in Canada to grant women the right to vote in public elections.
About ten years later, McClung went on to challenge what the Canadian government considered a “qualified person,” which at the time did not include women.
Learn more about the courageous work Nellie McClung did fighting for women’s equality in Canada in this post, Nellie McClung, a Woman Who Changed History.
Viola Desmond (1914-1965)
Viola Desmond was a famous Canadian civil rights activist. Her fight against injustice helped pave the way for the modern civil rights movement in Canada.
Viola grew up as a biracial daughter in a supportive community. Her father, a barber, started her passion for beauty culture.
Later, Viola opened a beauty salon and the first beauty school to allow black female students in Halifax.
Then, in 1946, Viola’s car broke down while doing business in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. After learning it would take some time to fix, she decided to see a movie at the Roseland Theater.
It was here that Desmond was arrested for refusing to leave the main floor of the theater that was reserved for white patrons.
Viola’s case received considerable publicity at the time, and many citizens were outraged that she never received justice. It would be decades after her death before she would receive a free pardon from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.
Learn more about why Viola Desmond is often known as the Canadian Rosa Parks in this post, Viola Desmond, a Woman Who Changed History.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
Eleanor Roosevelt is best known for changing how America saw the First Lady. She worked to protect basic human rights for women, African Americans, and the poor.
Eleanor had a difficult childhood, losing both her parents at a young age.
She married her distant cousin, Franklin Roosevelt, in 1905. Before Franklin Roosevelt became president, however, he became very sick with polio and almost died. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States, and Eleanor was the First Lady. Before Eleanor arrived in the White House, the First Ladies hosted social events and entertained foreign leaders and their wives.
Eleanor’s passion and her husband’s inability to travel around the country meant she became very involved in forming policies and decisions.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s fight for human rights was felt in the United States and worldwide. Even after her husband’s death, she remained a representative to the United Nations.
Read more about how Eleanor Roosevelt went above and beyond the typical role of the First Lady to protect the rights of the less fortunate in this post, Eleanor Roosevelt, a Woman Who Changed History.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)
Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous Mexican artists. She is known for her surrealist style, which depicts the pain and suffering she endured throughout her life.
Kahlo was born in Mexico City and had a very difficult life from a young age. She contracted polio when she was just six years old, which left her with a permanent limp.
Then, as she was studying to become a doctor, Kahlo was in a terrible bus accident that would leave her with debilitating and chronic pain.
After the accident, she began painting to deal with the isolation, the pain, and the loss of her dream to be a doctor. Her paintings reflected the pain and suffering she felt.
Kahlo painted many miniature portraits. She used bright colors and traditional Mexican clothing.
During her life, Frida Kahlo was not recognized in Mexico for her work. She was more popular in the US and Europe. In 1939, the Louvre obtained her painting, The Frame, making it the museum’s first painting by a Mexican artist.
Learn more about the powerful, emotional, and colorful work of Frida Kahlo in this post, Frida Kahlo, a Woman Who Changed History.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Maya Angelou is best known for her inspirational writing. Her stories of the struggles she overcame inspired many.
When she was just four years old, Maya and her older brother went to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. They traveled alone by train.
Maya and her brother later moved back to live with her mom in St. Louis. After being hurt by her mother’s boyfriend, Maya stopped talking and became mute for five years.
The family would later move to California, where Maya studied dance, singing, and acting. In 1969, Maya Angelou published her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which eventually made her famous around the world.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was the first nonfiction best-selling book by an African American woman. It would gain Maya international fame and recognition for decades.
Maya Angelou would use her fame to speak out against inequality and injustice worldwide, especially in the African American community.
Learn more about this inspirational author and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in this post, Maya Angelou, a Woman Who Changed History.
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937)
Amelia Earhart is best known for being the first woman to fly a plane solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
While working at a medical facility during World War 1, Earhart first became interested in flight and becoming a pilot.
She took her first flight in 1920 while attending an airshow in California. After that, she knew she wanted to become a pilot. Just 3 years later, she became one of only 16 women to earn an international pilot’s license.
In 1928, Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as a navigator in a plane piloted by Bill Schultz and Slim Gordon.
On May 20, 1932, she took off from Newfoundland, determined to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The flight was long and difficult and cut short due to the weather. However, she was successful, landing in a farmer’s field in Ireland.
In June 1937, Amelia Earhart took off from Miami, Florida, after flying across the US from California in an attempt to fly around the world. By June 29, she had successfully made it to New Guinea, an island north of Australia in the Indian Ocean. There were only 7000 miles left to complete the trip, but her plane disappeared on July 2 over the Pacific Ocean.
Amelia Earhart’s bravery and willingness to tackle the unknown have inspired women for decades. Read more about her in this post, Amelia Earhart, a Woman Who Changed History.
Mae Jemison (1956- present)
Mae Jemison is best known for being the first African American woman in space.
Even as a child, Mae was aware of and disappointed by the lack of women astronauts included in NASA’s Apollo missions. She also experienced discrimination herself through much of her time in school.
Mae was also a dancer. She studied ballet, jazz, and modern dance. She was very talented and would continue to dance even through college, including medical school.
In 1989, Mae Jemison was one of 15 people from hundreds who were chosen to join NASA’s 50th mission on the Endeavour, STS-47.
The Endeavour took off on September 12, 1992. Jemison spent the next eight days in space, orbiting the Earth 127 times. She was a mission specialist conducting experiments in space.
The mission was a huge success, and Jemison received much praise and attention for her work. However, in 1993, she decided to retire and leave NASA.
Learn more about Mae’s journey and how she has inspired others in this post, Mae Jemison, a Woman Who Changed History.
Cathy Freeman (1973-present)
Cathy Freeman is an Australian athlete best known for being the first Aboriginal person to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics.
Cathy fell in love with running at an early age. She was a strong athlete and competed in her first race when she was eight. Her father was a member of the Burri Grubba people of central Queensland.
In 1990, when Cathy was just 17, she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games as a member of the relay team and was named Young Australian of the Year.
In 1992, Cathy would become the first Aboriginal athlete to compete in the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Then, in 2000, she lit the Olympic Torch during the opening ceremony in Sydney. Freeman would win an Olympic gold medal during those Olympic games. After winning the 400m event, she ran around the track carrying the Australian and Aboriginal National flags.
Learn more about her inspirational journey in this post, Cathy Freeman, a Woman Who Changed History.
Teaching About Amazing Women in History
This bundle, created specifically for students in special education settings for Women’s History Month, contains everything you need to teach about these 12 inspirational women.
Each unit includes:
- PowerPoint
- Vocabulary Board
- Fact sheet
- Bingo cards
- Circle Map
- Timeline
- Writing Prompt
- Quiz
- Printable and digital activities
