Winning the Earthquake

Born on a Montana Ranch in 1880, Jeannette Rankin knew how to ride a horse, make a fire, and read the sky for weather. But most of all, she knew how to talk to people and convince them of her vision for America. It was this rare skill that led her, in 1916, to become the first woman ever elected to the House of Representatives. Throughout her two terms in 1916 and 1940, she introduced and passed legislation benefitting unions, protecting workers, and increasing aid for children in poverty. In 19