Biographies for Kids
Biography
Women Leaders
Powerful, intelligent, talented, and brave: these are just a few of the words that describe the women leaders of world history. Women leaders have led vast empires (Cleopatra VII, Queen Victoria), made scientific discoveries (Marie Curie, Jane Goodall), and fought bravely against all odds (Mother Teresa, Harriet Tubman). Below are biographies of some of the women who impacted world history and shaped the world we live in today.
- Abigail Adams - Wife of President John Adams, Abigail paved the way for future First Ladies to speak out on issues.
- Susan B. Anthony - A woman's rights leader in the 1800's who led the fight for women's suffrage.
- Marie Antoinette - Queen of France during the French Revolution, she was beheaded by revolutionaries.
- Clara Barton - A nurse during the Civil War, Clara founded the American Red Cross.
- Nellie Bly - Investigative journalist who became famous for traveling around the world in 72 days.
- Ruby Bridges - The first African-American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South.
- Rachel Carson - A marine biologist who is considered the founder of environmental science.
- Cleopatra VII - The last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
- Hillary Clinton - Presidential candidate, senator, and wife of President Bill Clinton.
- Marie Curie - Won the Nobel Prize in physics for her work on radioactivity.
- Princess Diana - The famous Princess of Wales who spent much of her time working for charity.
- Dorothea Dix - She helped the mentally ill and worked as the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the Civil War.
- Amelia Earhart - The first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Queen Elizabeth I - Queen of England for 44 years during a time when the British Empire expanded and the arts flourished.
- Queen Elizabeth II - Longest ruling British monarch.
- Anne Frank - A young Jewish girl who wrote about her experiences while hiding from the Nazi's during World War II.
- Jane Goodall - Jane is a scientist known for her studies of chimpanzees in the wild.
- Hatshepsut - One of the most powerful and successful pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
- Helen Keller - Being both deaf and blind, Helen learned how to read Braille and talk.
- Joan of Arc - Led the French against the English during the Hundred Years War while still a teenager.
- Frida Kahlo - Mexican artist who inspired "Fridamania" in the 1970s. Her art is considered part of Mexico's national cultural heritage.
- Mary Todd Lincoln - Wife of President Abraham Lincoln, Mary stood by her husband's side during the Civil War.
- Annie Oakley - Sharpshooter and famous entertainer during the American wild west.
- Ellen Ochoa - Astronaut and scientist.
- Rosa Parks - Rosa was a civil rights activist famous for not giving up her seat on the bus.
- Molly Pitcher - Molly took over the firing of a cannon during the Revolutionary War when her husband was wounded.
- Sacagawea - Sacagawea assisted Lewis and Clark on their expedition west working as a guide and interpreter.
- Sally Ride - The first American woman astronaut to travel to space.
- Eleanor Roosevelt - Wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor was an active first lady who worked for human rights.
- Sonia Sotomayor - The first Hispanic and Latina member of the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton - A leader in the fight for women's suffrage.
- Martha Stewart - A business entrepreneur who built a major brand and business empire writing books and hosting TV shows.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe - Wrote the book Uncle Tom's Cabin which exposed the terrible reality of slavery to people in the North.
- Maria Tallchief - The first Native American prima ballerina.
- Mother Teresa - A Catholic nun who spent her life helping the sick, needy, and helpless people of the world.
- Margaret Thatcher - The first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Sojourner Truth - An escaped slave who fought for the end of the slavery and women's rights.
- Harriet Tubman - An escaped slave who became a leader in the Underground Railroad helping more slaves to escape from the South.
- Queen Victoria - She was Queen of England for over 63 years. Her reign is often referred to as the Victorian Era.
- Madam C.J. Walker - Known as the first woman self-made millionaire.
- Martha Washington - Wife of President George Washington and the original First Lady of the United States.
- Ida B. Wells - A journalist and civil rights activist, Ida B. Wells led a campaign against lynching.
- Oprah Winfrey - Became one of the most successful businesswomen in the world through her TV show The Oprah Winfrey Show.
- Empress Wu - The only woman to take the title of Emperor of China.
- Malala Yousafzai - Activist who fought for the education of women in Pakistan.
More articles about women in history:
Women in Ancient Egypt
Women in Ancient Greece
Women in Ancient Rome
Famous Queens of the Middle Ages
Women in Colonial America
Women During the American Revolution
Women During the Civil War
Women During the Industrial Revolution
Women of World War II
Women's Suffrage
Read about Queen Elizabeth II - The longest ruling monarch of the United Kingdom.
Works Cited
Activities:
Women Leaders Crossword Puzzle
Women Leaders Word Search
Biographies for Kids
