Ancient history

Who were some women throughout history who defied social norms?

1. Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl who led the French army to victory against the English in the Hundred Years' War. She was later captured and burned at the stake as a heretic.

2. Catherine the Great (1729-1796)

Catherine the Great was the Empress of Russia for over 30 years. She was a patron of the arts and sciences, and she expanded the Russian Empire.

3. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate for women's rights. She wrote several books, including *A Vindication of the Rights of Woman* (1792), which is considered one of the founding texts of feminism.

4. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928)

Emmeline Pankhurst was a British political activist and suffragette. She founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903, which campaigned for women's suffrage. Pankhurst was arrested multiple times for her activism, and she went on hunger strikes several times.

5. Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights activist. In 1955, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for over a year. Parks' actions are considered to be the catalyst for the modern civil rights movement in the United States.

6. Malala Yousafzai (1997-Present)

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education. She was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for speaking out in favor of education for girls. She survived the attack and continued to campaign for girls' education. In 2014, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work.

These are just a few examples of women who have defied social norms throughout history. These women have paved the way for women's rights and empowered women to fight for gender equality.