What Is Women’s History Month? Resources To Learn More
When you hear the word “woman,” what other words and phrases come to mind? Do you think about gender roles and changing expectations? Do you think about definitive qualities, words like strong, resilient, and courageous? This short exercise shows the truth: women are multifaceted. They come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, and they all have unique stories to tell.
This March, take time in your social studies classes to explore the question, “What is Women’s History Month?” and why it’s important that we acknowledge the accomplishments and societal contributions of women around the world.
Highlight women’s admirable qualities
Show students how different situations bring out the inspiring qualities in people by exploring articles, videos, and other activities on topics like:
Resourceful women in history
Learn about some of history’s most resourceful women leaders who used what they had to make the most out of life:
Discover how the Flappers of the 1920s and their dances helped the women’s liberation movement.
Learn how the Daughters of Bilitis organization started potlucks to bring together and empower the LGBTQIA+ community as early as the 1950s.
Find out how a Ukraine-based nonprofit group called Zemliachky helped to outfit the country’s women army servicemembers during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Trailblazing women in history
Discover empowering women who took charge and made change in their lifetimes:
Teach students about some of the women leaders of the American Revolution like author Mercy Otis Warren, activist Esther DeBerdt Reed, and a leadership group called the Edenton Ladies.
Learn about how Northern Black women formed an abolitionist army during the years leading up to the Civil War and how they worked to help emancipate the South.
Explore how women forged a path on the American frontier by introducing students to people like Native American Diplomat and spy Molly Brant, frontier scout Anne Bailey, and translator and guide Sacagawea.
Innovative women in history
Women have contributed to some of the world’s greatest inventions and discoveries. Explore the progress they’ve made for all of us:
Read about June Almeida, the woman who discovered the first coronavirus in 1964 and whose work helped scientists fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meet mathematician Gladys West, who worked on developing GPS for the United States Air Force.
Discover how the first team of all-women spacewalkers made history by replacing a broken part of the power grid on the International Space Station.
Courageous women in history
Teach your students about women who had the tenacity to face dangerous situations:
Discover how women disguised themselves as male soldiers during the Civil War to fight in both the Union and Confederate armies… and what would happen if others discovered their secret.
See how young activists from the organization AAPI Youth Rising created a history lesson for schools to speak out against anti-Asian violence.
Learn about Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert and how she used TikTok to tell her story of surviving time at Auschwitz-Birkenau—and refute Holocaust deniers.
Strong women in history
Explore different meanings of the word strength, and how women athletes have embodied each definition over time:
Read about how tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams made history at the 2001 Australian Open.
Discover how a girls’ tackle football team in Utah helps players work through emotions like anger on the field.
Watch a video about how Title IX, a law that protects women and girls from discrimination in school, affects youth sports and the athletes that play them.
Meet diverse women making a difference
Black, Asian, Latina, multiracial, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ women have faced even more adversity than most people throughout history. Show students how women from these groups fought for change, conquered challenges, and made a difference in the world.
Get to know accomplished women
Invite students to meet interesting women from around the country—and across time—and learn more about their accomplishments. Students can get to know women like:
Queen Liliuokalani, the last ruler of the Hawaiian Kamehameha dynasty.
Helen Keller, a blind and deaf woman who overcame adversity to become an author and activist.
Michelle Wie, a U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament winner.
Learn about the women making HERstory
All women have the power to make history. Have your students take a deep dive into the lives of influential women like:
Patsy Mink, the first Asian American elected to Congress
Malala Yousafzai, an education activist for young girls
Maya Angelou, a writer, poet, and activist
Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina woman to go to space
Then, ask students to interview an inspirational woman in their own lives and introduce the Telling HERStory writing project, which students can complete using Newsela Writing.
Discover the ways Hispanic women use their voices
Learn more about the lives of influential Latinx and Hispanic women like:
Journalist and activist Jovita Idar, who fought racism and sexism on the job.
Civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta, who fought for the rights of farmworkers, Mexican-American immigrants, and many others.
The Mirabal sisters, known as Las Mariposas, who fought dictatorship and injustice in the Dominican Republic.
Teach students about female-run governments and societies
Though America hasn’t had a woman president (yet!), other countries have had women leaders for centuries. Introduce students to ancient Egyptian society where women could call the shots:
Read about an exhibit at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., that explores the lives and significance of ancient Egyptian queens.
Watch a video about women’s roles in ancient Egyptian society.
Dig into biographies about important ancient Egyptian leaders like Hatshepsut, Queen Nefertiti, and Cleopatra.
See something you like?
Sign up for Newsela Lite and claim a teacher trial to access our full suite of premium content and activities.
Teach about women’s roles in American history
Women have made an impact on American society in every era since the country’s founding. Teach students about the impact they’ve made during different significant periods in U.S. history.
Women in the Revolution
When we talk about the American Revolution, we usually mention the Founding Fathers. But what about the women who influenced the outcome of the war? Explore resources that share more about their little-known legacies:
Read an article about the surprising connection between President George Washington and Black poet Phillis Wheatley.
Learn about how women took on leadership roles during the American Revolution and embraced new opportunities for political input.
Watch a video about influential women of the American Revolution.
Women in the early republic
Historians have a lot to say about men who played important roles in the early republic, but less is known about women. Yet, they were more influential than we realize. Teach students about some of the women who shaped society in the 1700s and 1800s:
Discover what rights women of the 1800s did and didn’t have.
Read French historian Alexis de Tocqueville’s observations about the role of the “American wife” in the early 19th century.
Watch a video about the gender roles and expectations of women in the 19th century.
Women in the Civil War
While men left their homes in both the North and the South to fight the Civil War, women stepped into new and unfamiliar roles at home—and on the battlefield. Explore what life was like for women during the Civil War era:
Read a first-person account from southern housewife Judith McGuire about leaving her Virginia home after the Union Army occupation.
Explore letters that show how Texas women guided local affairs during the Civil War.
Meet Cathay Williams, the first documented Black woman to serve in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.
Women in the Civil Rights Movement
In the 1960s, women in the United States had limited rights and opportunities. Yet, the Civil Rights Movement relied heavily on the hard work and dedication of Black women:
Learn about the contributions Black women made to the Civil Rights Movement to fight racism and sexism.
Watch a video to meet Ethel Payne, known as the First Lady of the Black Press.
Discover how Freedom Rider Diane Nash risked her life to desegregate the South.
Women in government
Today, women lead and enact change from some of the highest positions in the U.S. government. Teach students about their roles at the local, state, and national levels with articles on topics like:
Some of the famous firsts women accomplished.
Profiles of women who have served the United States Supreme Court.
How more women become candidates at all levels of government with each election season.
Explore the suffrage movement and women’s rights
Throughout history, women have fought for equal rights and representation in government, the workforce, and society as a whole. Students can explore some of these significant movements and their outcomes with resources like:
The fight for the right to vote
Before the 1920s, women didn’t have the right to vote in U.S. elections. Teach students about how women fought for this right with resources like:
A history explainer of the 19th Amendment.
Profiles of key suffragettes who fought for the right to vote.
A news article about a North Carolina Black woman who faced up to 19 months in prison for voting in the 2016 presidential election due to outdated racial laws in southern America.
More women’s rights movements
Women’s activist causes go much further than the right to vote. Students can discover other ways women fought for their space in society with resources like:
An explainer article on the Declaration of Sentiments, a 19th-century document that called for women’s rights and equality.
A news article that looks at the popularity of women’s marches held around the world today.
Famous speeches from noted women’s rights leaders like Gloria Steinem, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth.
A deep dive into women’s liberation and feminism
Put a spotlight on women’s rights and the feminist movement with a unit on its evolution and effects on gender roles and activism. The unit contains lessons on topics like:
Add additional Women’s History Month resources to your lessons
Want to inject even more Women’s History Month content into your pre-planned lessons? Try resources like:
Primary sources from influential women
Teach students how to analyze primary sources like letters, speeches, and documents. Choose from selections like:
Newspaper articles about the Lowell mill girls and the factory system.
Letters describing women’s experiences during the California Gold Rush.
A speech from Zitkala-Sa to Indigenous activists.
Videos about inspirational women
Bring women’s history to life with interactive videos on important topics like:
World-changing women.
Women activists in American history.
The women’s suffrage movement.
Go further with your Women’s History Month lessons
We hope these resources make it easier to help you develop relevant, engaging lessons about women’s history in your class this March. For even more great content from Newsela Social Studies and our other great subject products, sign up for Newsela Lite to start your free 45-day trial of all our premium content and activities.