Essay On Jeannette Rankin

In early American society the males dominated everything from land owning to public office; however, eventually the females carved out a path among the overwhelming white male society. The Women's Rights campaign lasted from about 1848 and continued into the 1920s. Specifically, Jeannette Rankin paved the way for women in national office. She was the first woman elected into the House of Representatives and, therefore, into Congress. She was also one of the few suffragists elected into Congress. Rankin lead the way for future women in Congress and she even said "I won't be the last." Originally from Montana, Rankin served two separate terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and always stated her opinion, even if it was against the majority.

The day she was sworn into Congress, a special Joint Session meeting was held and she defied rules by speaking while voting and she voted against war. Jeannette Rankin is an influential past member of Congress due to her backstory, impact on the diversity of Congress, and foundation.
Jeannette Pickering Rankin grew up with a normal childhood and matured to become an active member in the women's suffrage movement.

She was born on June 11, 1880 in Missoula, Montana. Her father, John Rankin was a rancher, while her mother, Olive Pickering, was a school teacher. Rankin graduated from the University of Montana, the New York School of Philanthropy, and the University of Washington in Seattle. In Seattle, she joined the women's suffrage movement and became a professional lobbyist for the cause. She decided to run for public office in 1916, at age thirty-six, she was advantaged during her campaign because she had a huge reputation in the women's suffrage movement and her brother, Wellington, financed her campaign. She gained a GOP nomination on August 29. Rankin ran as a progressive, to work for a constitutional woman suffrage amendment and emphasizing social welfare issues. She always told her opinion, for example, “if they are going to have war, they ought to take the old men and leave the young to propagate the race.” She came in second, winning one of Montana’s seats. Rankin ran a nonpartisan campaign in a Democratic state during a time where all political parties were despised. This particular election was the first opportunity for Montana women to vote in a federal election. Jeannette Rankin had a normal childhood; however, she grew into a leader for the suffrage movement and was a

pacifist.
Jeanette Pickering Rankin left an undeniable mark on the make-up of Congress.

Congress was typically older rich white males; however, Rankin helped to pave a way for a more diverse Congress. As the House of Representatives, which Rankin was a part of, represents the people, it should be diverse according to the population. Each seat should have specific requirements for people, including an ethnicity. America has been leaded by rich white men since the writing of the Constitution and Rankin was the first to break the precedent. The current Congress has many races and includes females, without Rankin running in the 1900s, this may not have happened. With each new Congressman that gets elected, the Congress, as a whole, gets more diverse and includes people from various backgrounds. As Rankin helped to make Congress more diverse, her legacy is still alive today within her

foundation.
Before Jeannette died on May 18, 1973, in Carmel, California, she specifically left a fund to help “mature, unemployed women workers.” The Jeannette Rankin Foundation was created to give scholarships to deserving women to help them further themselves and to move forward in their own lives. It was originally created in 1976, however, in 2008 it was renamed as the Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund. These scholarships are for women above age thirty-five to help them complete college. The foundation has helped women from every state, multiple times, in the United States from 1976 through 2015. Her lasting impact helps women escape poverty every year and proves that education is a major tool in bettering themselves.
Jeannette Rankin is an influential past member of Congress due to her backstory, impact on the diversity of Congress, and foundation. Rankin helped people in every way she could, including planning that her estate goes to help people after her death. She also was an influential member of Congress and was not afraid to vote against the majority even if she was alone. She voted against participating in World War I and World War II, and she stood alone. Jeannette Rankin was the first female elected to the House of Representatives and therefore, was the first woman in Congress. Since her presence in Congress, every new election, it has become more and more diverse. Currently, Congress is the most diverse it has ever been and that is in part because of Jeannette Pickering Rankin.