Make History With This Quiz on Women in Politics

Sworn in after the death of her husband in 1924, Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first woman in U.S. history to become governor. As the leader of Wyoming, Ross was a staunch advocate for women’s rights. She was defeated for reelection in 1926, but became the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and also served two terms as the director of the U.S. Mint.

In 1977, Patricia Harris made history as the first woman of color to join a U.S. Cabinet. She was appointed as the secretary of housing and urban development by President Jimmy Carter. Before her Cabinet appointment, Harris held various high-level positions, such as the ambassador to Luxembourg and the dean of Howard Law School.

The first democratically elected woman president was Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland. She narrowly won the 1980 election, beating three male candidates, and went on to be reelected three times before retiring from the position in 1996.

Rebecca Felton became the first woman senator in 1922 after the sudden death of Georgia Senator Tom Watson. Governor Thomas Hardwick decided to appoint a woman to fill the empty seat until a successor was elected. At the age of 87, Senator Felton made history, although she served for only one day before stepping down for the elected successor.

Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to own a brokerage firm on Wall Street, start a weekly newspaper, and hold candidacy for United States President. In 1872, she ran for the Equal Rights Party, gaining an impressive following, but ultimately was unsuccessful due to gender discrimination.

Switzerland has had eight women serve as president of the Confederation, beginning in 1999 with Ruth Dreifuss. The term for this position is only one year and is held on a rotating basis by one of the seven elected council members.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike famously became the world’s first woman prime minister on July 21, 1960. She served three nonconsecutive terms and was best known for her address to the United Nations in 1971, where she called for the establishment of a Peace Zone in the Indian Ocean.

Born in 1937 in what was then Czechoslovakia, Madeleine Albright immigrated to the U.S. in 1948 and went on to become one of the most powerful women in politics. In 1997, Albright became secretary of state under Bill Clinton, and through her position, advocated for human rights and democracy on a global scale.

During the 1984 presidential campaign, the Democratic Party pushed for a woman to run as Vice President with presidential nominee Walter Mondale. The incumbent, President Ronald Reagan, would go on to win the election, but Geraldine Ferraro still inspired people around the country during her campaign.

The original robes for the Supreme Court justices were tailored for men to showcase a collared shirt and tie underneath. But when Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Sandra Day O’Connor on the bench, they decided to update the robes with decorative collars to feminize the look.

Suffragist Susan B. Anthony was arrested for voting in the 1872 U.S. presidential election. Her act of civil disobedience brought attention to the ongoing fight for women’s rights. She paved the way for the 19th Amendment and was also the first woman to be minted on a U.S. coin.

Eleanor Roosevelt held her first women-only press conference two days after FDR’s presidential inauguration. The First Lady would go on to hold 348 weekly press conferences from 1933 to 1945. By doing so, she helped save the jobs of women journalists and gave them equal access to news, which was a struggle at the time.

In 1982, Nancy Reagan launched her “Just Say No” campaign, aimed at combating drug abuse among young people. The campaign quickly became a cultural phenomenon and played a pivotal role in America’s so-called “war on drugs.” “Just Say No” drew criticism for oversimplifying the issue of drug abuse, but was lauded for starting a national conversation about the impact of drugs on communities.

Until 1993, the unofficial Senate floor dress code was that women were to wear dresses or skirts. Pants were not mentioned in these rules, and no women wore them, until Senators Barbara Mikulski, Nancy Kassebaum, and Carol Moseley-Braun decided it was time for a change — the women wore pants to work. While there is no official dress code, coordinated pantsuits are now the norm among female senators.

In 2001, Condoleezza Rice became the first woman in history to hold the title of U.S. national security adviser. She served under President George W. Bush until 2005 and was then appointed U.S. secretary of state until 2009. During her time in office, Rice worked toward peace agreements in the Middle East.

Appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993, Janet Reno was the longest-serving attorney general in U.S. history. During her eight years in office, Reno oversaw several high-profile cases, such as the investigations into the Waco siege and the Oklahoma City bombing. Reno was known for her no-nonsense approach to law enforcement and was a strong advocate for civil rights.

Known as “the Iron Lady” for her strong political convictions, Margaret Thatcher was a significant figure in 20th-century British politics. As prime minister of the U.K. from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher implemented policies that reshaped the country’s economic landscape. However, she was also a controversial figure. Her handling of the Northern Ireland conflict and the Falkland Islands dispute drew harsh criticism.