In this article we’re going to be discussing the top 10 most influential women in history who broke barriers and reached new heights, making the world around them a better place to live in. Even though we haven’t achieved complete equality, times are slowly changing and these women prove the same.
List of Top 10 Most Influential Women in History
| Rank | Woman | Birth Year | Contributions and Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleopatra | Unknown | Last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, prominent political figure |
| 2 | Hypatia | 355 | First female mathematician, influential in astronomy |
| 3 | Ada Lovelace | 1815 | First female computer programmer, pioneering computing |
| 4 | Marie Curie | 1867 | First woman to win Nobel Prize twice, pioneer in radioactivity |
| 5 | Virginia Woolf | 1882 | Prominent English Literature figure, feminist advocate |
| 6 | Clara Campoamor | 1888 | Advocate for women’s suffrage, instrumental in Spanish Constitution amendment |
| 7 | Simone de Beauvoir | 1908 | Philosopher, author of “The Second Sex”, feminist activist |
| 8 | Rosa Parks | 1913 | Civil rights activist, pivotal figure in the Montgomery bus boycott |
| 9 | Rosalind Franklin | 1920 | Contributions to DNA discovery through X-ray crystallography |
| 10 | Benazir Bhutto | 1953 | First elected Muslim Prime Minister of Pakistan, advocate for equality |
1. Cleopatra:
Dating back to the times before Christ, Cleopatra was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She was a very prominent and successful political figure and had alliances with some of the most powerful leaders of the Ancient Greek times, leaders such as Mark Antony and Julius Caesar. Though stern in her ways, she managed to ensure financial and economic stability of her country. She was much more than her portrayal in current media, making her one of the most influential women in history. She has been described by various writers as an alchemist, a philosopher and much more.
2. Hypatia:
Hypatia was born around the year 355. Even though her name is quite unknown to people, her rise to popularity was because of Alejandro Amenabár’s film titled ‘Agora, Hypatia of Alexandria’. It tells us about how she is regarded as the first female mathematician of this world. She was educated by her father Theon, who was an important Greek mathematician and astronomer. Even though she was not taken seriously, her work inspired some of the biggest scientists like Newton, Leibnitz and Descartes, which certainly regards her as one of the most influential women in history.
3. Ada Lovelace:
Ada, who lived a short life from 1815 to 1852, was an all rounder of sorts as she was a great mathematician, writer and also a musician. She was an Englishwoman and both her parents were very well educated who raised her to be one of the most influential women in history. Ada Lovelace is most importantly known for her remarkable contribution to the development of computing, making her one of the first female computer programmer. Her work greatly inspired Alan Turing, who designed the very first electronic computer.
4. Marie Curie:
Born in 1867, Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize while also being the first woman to receive one twice, first in Physics in 1903 and the other in Chemistry in 1911, making her one of the most influential women in history. Her work is what has made the path to the advancement of modern physics. Even though she faced a lot of discrimination, she was determined to learn more and grow her talent. This in turn promoted women’s access to degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
5. Virginia Woolf:
Virginia Woolf was born in 1882 in a very patriarchal society where women did not have equal rights and opportunities as men. She has made great strides in the field of English Literature, calling out the absence of equality and the various hurdles women have to face in order to make a living for themselves. Her works are studied till date after years of being published due to her strong and influential feminist ideas. It is safe to say that Virgina Woolf is one of the most influential women in history. She was extremely courageous and truly ahead of her time.
6. Clara Campoamor:
Clara was a huge advocate for equality among men and women but more importantly, she fought for women’s suffrage. Born in 1888, she was a Spanish lawyer and was able to make some drastic changes in the Constitution of Spain due to her strong willpower and determination.Because of this, one can easily and surely regard her as the one of the most influential women in history. It was because of Clara Campoamor’s great contribution that the Constitution was amended in 1931, recognising the right of women to vote in the elections. Following that, women went to the polls in 1933 for the first time.
7. Simone de Beauvoir:
Simons was born in 1908. She was a well known philosopher and writer from France and challenged the patriarchal dominance around her. What truly makes her one of the most influential women in history is her contribution to feminism through her book titled “The Second Sex”. She worked hard for abortion rights and legal birth control, so much so that she became a symbol of second wave feminism.
8. Rosa Parks:
Students have been studying about Rosa Parks all around the world and for the right reasons, since her simple act of refusing to give a white man her seat on the bus was a big step towards calling out racial discrimination. She is one of the most well known and most influential women in history when it comes to fighting against apartheid. She is also identified as the founder of the civil rights movement for racial equality.
9. Rosalind Franklin:
Rosalind was born in 1920 and was a student of chemical physics at Cambridge. What makes her one of the most influential women in history is her commendable contribution in the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. She used a technique called X Ray crystallography to do the same and ended up paving the way for the development of life-saving drugs.
10. Benazir Bhutto:
Benazir Bhutto made political history by becoming the first elected Muslim Prime Minister of an Islamic country, making her one of the most influential women in history. She led Pakistan from the year 1988 to 1996 making various strides to promote equality. However, she was murdered in 2007 which shocked world leaders everywhere.
These women are the prime examples of how determination and willpower gives you access to new heights and if you put your head into something, nobody can stop you from achieving your goals.
FAQs:-
- Who was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt?
Cleopatra was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and a prominent political figure with alliances to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. - Who was the first female mathematician?
Hypatia of Alexandria is regarded as the first female mathematician, inspiring renowned scientists like Newton and Descartes. - Who is considered the first female computer programmer?
Ada Lovelace is known as one of the first female computer programmers, contributing significantly to the development of computing. - Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize twice?
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize twice, in Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911, pioneering research in radioactivity. - What influential feminist ideas did Virginia Woolf advocate?
Virginia Woolf advocated for gender equality and feminist ideas in English Literature, challenging societal norms and patriarchal dominance. - Who fought for women’s suffrage in Spain?
Clara Campoamor, a Spanish lawyer, fought for women’s suffrage and played a crucial role in amending the Spanish Constitution in 1931. - What is Simone de Beauvoir known for?
Simone de Beauvoir, a French philosopher and writer, is known for her influential work “The Second Sex” and her contributions to feminism. - What pivotal role did Rosa Parks play in the civil rights movement?
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus, sparking the civil rights movement and advocating for racial equality. - How did Rosalind Franklin contribute to science?
Rosalind Franklin’s work in X-ray crystallography led to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA, paving the way for life-saving drugs. - Who was the first elected Muslim Prime Minister of an Islamic country?
Benazir Bhutto made history as the first elected Muslim Prime Minister of Pakistan, advocating for equality and progress until her tragic assassination in 2007.