Jeannetter Rankin was born on June 11, 1880 in the state of Montana. She graduated from the University of Montana in 1902 and then went on to attend the New York School of Philanthropy. After spending a few years at this school, she decided to dedicate her life to pursuing a career as a social worker. Rankin was very much into the cause of the women's suffrage movement. She went to various states such as Washington and California campaigning for women's voting rights. In 1914 she chaired the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Two years later she was elected by her home state of Montana as a republican representative to the House of Representatives. There she continued her crusade for women's rights. She was one of the reps. that opposed the involvement of the United States in World War I, because of this she lost her chance at becoming a rep. for Montana in 1918. However, later on she gained another seat in Congress. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, she was one of the few who voted against declaring war on Japan. Her greatest accomplishment was not only becoming the first woman in Congress. On January 15, 1968 Rankin, at age eighty-seven, led 5000 women in a march to Capitol Hill to protest against the U.S. entering the Vietnam war. Rankin died, as a hero and legend, on May 18, 1973, in Carmel, California.