The history of women in American politics

This assignment explores the history of women in American politics. Specifically, it looks at the progress women have made in terms of political representation and participation since the founding of the United States.

The history of women in American politics dates back to the founding of the United States. Women have always been active in politics, but their participation has been largely limited to voting and campaigning. In the early years of the Republic, women were not allowed to hold office or even participate in political debates. This began to change in the mid-19th century, when a number of states began to allow women to vote and hold office.

By the early 20th century, women had made significant progress in terms of political representation and participation. In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote. In 1932, Hattie Caraway became the first woman elected to the Senate. In 1961, Esther Peterson became the first woman to hold a major position in the federal government when she was appointed Special Assistant to the President for Consumer Affairs.

Throughout the 20th century, women continued to make progress in politics. In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to be nominated for Vice President by a major political party. In 2009, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for President by a major political party.

Today, women are still fighting for equality in politics. While there have been significant gains made over the last few decades, there is still a long way to go. Women currently make up less than 20% of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. And while a woman has been elected to the Vice Presidency, we have yet to see a woman elected as President of the United States.