Exploring the Impact of Women in American History

From early trailblazers to suffragists, civil rights activists, political leaders and cultural icons, women have made a remarkable impact on the course of U.S. history. 

Women’s History in the United States is a digital resource dedicated to helping students examine women’s contributions, perspectives and challenges from pre-contact times to the present. 

With thousands of primary sources, hundreds of biographies, and student activities and research tools to put it all in context, this database offers a unique lens on U.S. history that gives a fuller view of subjects covered in traditional history curriculum. The inclusion of lesson plans and other educator resources make this database an invaluable asset for social studies classrooms.

Time Periods Covered:

  • Exploration and Indigenous North American Cultures, Pre-contact to 1607
  • Colonial North America, 1607-1775
  • Revolution and Early Republic, 1776-1830
  • Pre-Civil War Era, 1830-1860
  • Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
  • Westward Expansion, 1804-1912
  • The Road to Suffrage, 1848-1920
  • Gilded Age to World War I, 1878-1919
  • From the Roaring Twenties to Rosie the Riveter, 1920-1945
  • Shifting Roles in the Early Cold War Era, 1946-1965
  • Second-wave Feminism, 1963-1989
  • Journeying into the 21st Century, 1990s to the present

Content Highlights:

  • Comprehensive coverage of key figures, social and political movements, pivotal events, organizations, and other crucial topics that shape the diverse narratives of women in America
  • More than 1,500 primary sources including letters, photographs, documents, newspaper clippings, archival video footage, and influential quotes and speeches
  • Over 700 biographies of women from a wide range of backgrounds and spanning from indigenous "pre-contact" times to present day
  • Student inquiry activities that center enduring historical questions, each with a related Bell Ringer, full Educator Guide, and correlations to state social studies standards

Database Features and Tools:

  • Designed for accessibility and differentiation with translation in 25 languages, text-to-speech, and audiovisual resources
  • Embedded search, save, and citation tools for effective student research
  • Academic skill-building modules support students’ core academic development in reading, writing, researching, and working with primary sources
  • CLIOview statistical tool allows for the tracking and comparison of data across decades on population, income, health indicators, marital status, and more