Sophie Blanchard

Sophie Blanchard

Sohpie Blanchard may not have been the first female balloonist, but she was the fist female professional balloonist.  She and her husband made a living of ballooning.  They often gave performances such as parachuting down animals and lighting fireworks.  Sophie was also unfortunately the first female to die in a ballooning accident. 

This History Chicks Podcast:
http://thehistorychicks.com/minicast-sophie-blanchard/

Stuff You Missed in History Podcast:
https://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/classics-sophie-blanchard.htm

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

Born in Austria-Hungry, Hedwig Keisler moved to America and changed her name to Hedy Lamarr.  Not only did she become a sucessfull actress, she also invented a few things.  She co-invented an alternating frequency technology for use in WWII for torpedos.  Later, this technology was used for Wi-fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.

Gal's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast:
https://galsguide.org/2017/06/09/hedy-lamarr-your-gal-friday/

This History Chicks:
http://thehistorychicks.com/episode-60-four-inventors/

Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was an educator best known for creating the Montessori method.  She attended medical school where she was forced to do her cadaver studies alone after hours because she was a woman. After graduation, she spent time working with special needs children.  She then opened the Casa de Bambini and developed a whole new way of educating children.  The methods involved sensory education with colored blocks, chores to keep their workspace tidy, and personal hygiene. 

Stuff You Missed in History Podcast:
https://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/maria-montessori.htm

BBC Extraordinary Women Series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXqeTYHn0p4

Williamnia Fleming

Williamnia Flemming

Williamnia Fleming was one of the Harvard computers.  She worked as a maid for Charles Pickerning, the head of the  Harvard University.  Pickerning got frustrated with his male computers he exclaimed that his maid could do a better job.  So he hired her.  She worked on coming up with a classification system for stars.  She also discovered the horse head nebula.

Gal's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast:

The episode is on Annie Jump cannon but other Harvard computer women are mentioned.

https://galsguide.org/tag/annie-jump-cannon/

The Glass Universe:

I just recently heard about this book and am very excited to read it

https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Universe-Harvard-Observatory-Measure-ebook/dp/B01CZCW45O

Cynane

Cynane

Cynane was Alexander the Great's half sister.  She led army's into battle, even defeating a rival queen.

Katherine McCormick

Katherine McCormick

Katherine Dexter McCormick was a suffragist and an advocate for access to birth control in the early 1900's.  She helps smuggle diaphragms into America from Europe.  After the death of her husband, she funded the research and development of the birth control pill.

Stuff You Missed in History Class:
https://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/katharine-dexter-mccormick-the-money-behind-the-pill.htm

PBS Program on the Pill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQCTUZP-jQI

Artmesia

Artmesia

Artmesia was the ruler of her city-state under Persian rule.  In 480BCE Artmesia lead a fleet of ships on the Persian side at the battle of Salamis.  At one point in the battle she rammed another Persian ship to convince the ship that was about to attack her ship that she was a Greek vessel.  Prior to the battle, Artmesia was the only one of Xerxes's advisors not in favor of attacking the Greeks.  She received high praise for her part in the battle.