The poem "The Unsex'd Females" was a partisan volley against the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft and other women, and was especially critical of her views on politics, reason, religion, the French Revolution, and gender roles. The poem was first published in 1798 and was written by Richard Polwhele (1760 - 1838), a British curate whose mother had associated with such writers as Hannah More and Catherine Macaulay.

• The Unsex'd Females - Poem by Richard Polwhele

A few select quotes from writer Madeleine L'Engle on life, writing, religion, and more. Madeleine L'Engle wrote A Wrinkle in Time and many other books for children, young adults, and adults. Learn more: Madeleine L'Engle Quotes

Born on May 16, 1718, Maria Agnesi was the daughter of a mathematician who saw her potential and raised her as a child prodigy. She wrote the first mathematics book by a woman that still survives, and she was the first woman mathematics professor at the university level. Learn more: Maria Agnesi

On April 25, 1866, in Columbus, Mississippi, a women's association decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. In a nation trying to find a way to move on after a war that split the country, states, communities and even families, this gesture was welcomed as a way to lay the past to rest while honoring those who had fought on either side.

• Memorial Day History