Famous Women in History - 2 | General Knowledge Encyclopedia - Class 8 PDF Download

Grace Hopper

Grace Hopper was a computer scientist and mathematician. She helped develop the first computer programming languages. The term “debugging” was invented after she removed an actual moth from a computer system in the 1940s!

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American author who is most famous for her novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Stowe had strong anti-slavery beliefs. When her book was published in 1852, it became an instant best-seller. It helped show people throughout the United States the cruelty of slavery. Even President Abraham Lincoln wanted to meet her to talk about her work. Her writing was very emotional and vivid. It helped the anti-slavery movement grow in the United States.

Harriet Tubman

Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman escaped using a network of safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. Instead of just staying safe and far away, she risked her life to go back more than thirteen times. She helped rescue other enslaved people, including her family and friends.

Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells was a brave journalist. She wrote about segregation and discrimination faced by Black Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her work led her to be called the “mother of the civil rights movement.”

Julia Child

Julia Child was the first celebrity chef. Her love of cooking developed while she was living in France. She went to the famous Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She became an expert in French cuisine and had her own TV show. It taught people how to cook– and to be relaxed and have fun while doing so. Due to her demonstrations, people learned how to experiment with new ingredients and techniques.

Mary Kies

Mary Kies was an American inventor. She became the first woman to receive a U.S. patent for her method of weaving straw with silk. She used this technique to make beautiful hats and bonnets. Because she had a patent, nobody else was allowed to create hats using the same technique. Her idea was protected so that nobody else could take it from her.

Maya Lin

Maya Lin is an artist and designer who created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. She has also designed other public art installations, buildings, and landscapes. Her unique designs and artistic talents made her famous.

Patsy Mink

Patsy Mink was the first Asian American woman elected to the United States Congress. She helped write the Title IX amendment. It guarantees boys and girls the same rights in education and athletics.

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges was just six years old when she became the first Black child to attend a previously all-white school in New Orleans in 1960. She endured harassment and threats from protesters. Her bravery paved the way for future generations of Black students.

Sacagawea

Sacagawea was a Native American woman from the Lemhi Shoshone nation. She served as an interpreter and guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The expedition’s success depended on her vital role. She provided important knowledge about the geography and culture of the western regions of North America.

Sally Ride

Sally Ride was an American astronaut and physicist who became the first American woman to travel to space. Her Space Shuttle missions took place in 1983 and 1984. She later became a champion for science education and gender equality.

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple was a child actress who starred in 32 movies over the course of her career. She made a lot of movies during the Great Depression, when many Americans were out of work. At a time when many people were struggling, her movies provided entertainment and helped people feel happier. When she grew up, Shirley Temple was named the US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She even represented the US at the United Nations.

Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph was an Olympic gold medalist and a trailblazer for women’s sports. She played basketball and was a natural at track and field events. Her nickname was “the fastest woman alive.” She overcame childhood polio and other obstacles to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games in 1960!