More of This Feature • Introduction • 91-100 • 81-90 • 71-80 • 61-70 • 51-60 • 41-50 • More of the top 100 coming soon! • About the List

Join the Discussion Can you guess who the rest of the top 100 are? The top 10? Post your guesses in the forum and check what others have guessed

Related Resources • More Lists • Biographies • More biographies • Today in Women's History

#71 through #80 of the top 100 women in world history, measured by how popular they are on the Net. Each is linked to a biography which includes links to related resources on this site and on the Net.

#80. Colette: French novelist of the 20th century, noted for her unconventional themes and lifestyle.

#79. Judy Collins: part of the 1960s folk revival and still popular today, she made history by singing in the Chicago 7 conspiracy trial.

#78. Abigail Adams: wife of the second U.S. president and mother of the sixth, her intellect and lively wit come alive in her many letters which were preserved.

#77. Margaret Thatcher: the first woman prime minister in Europe, she's also, to this date, the longest-serving British Prime Minister since 1827. Famous (or infamous) for her conservative politics, she also presided over the British re-taking of the Falkland Islands from Argentina.

#76. Sally Ride: a nationally ranked tennis player, she chose physics over sports and ended up the first American woman astronaut in space, a NASA planner and a science professor.

#75. Emily Brontë: the middle of the three famous novelist and poet sisters of the 19th century, with Charlotte Brontë and Anne Brontë, she is best remembered for her dark and unusual novel, Wuthering Heights. She's also credited as a major influence, in her poetry, on Emily Dickinson.

#74. Hatshepsut: She reigned as Pharaoh of Egypt about 3500 years ago, taking on the titles, powers and ceremonial clothing of a male ruler. Her successor tried to wipe her name and image from history; fortunately for our knowledge of this early woman leader, he did not entirely succeed.

#73. Salome: Biblical character, known for asking her stepfather Antipas for the head of John the Baptist, when he offered her a reward for her dancing at his birthday feast. Her mother, Herodias, had prearranged for this request with her daughter. Her story was adapted into a drama by Oscar Wilde and an opera by Richard Strauss, based on the Wilde drama. Another woman named Salome was present at the crucifixion of Jesus according to the Gospel of Mark.

#72. Indira Gandhi: prime minister of India and a member of a prominent Indian political family. Her father and two of her sons were also Indian prime ministers.

#71. Rosie the Riveter: a fictional character based on the World War II civilian service on the homefront in the factory of many American women. She has come to represent all the industrial women workers in the war effort. After the war, many "Rosies" once again took up traditional domestic roles as housewives and mothers.

Coming soon: more in the top 100 series. Can you guess who is in the top 100? The top 10? Join the discussion in the Forum.

Next page > #61-#70 > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12

Text copyright 1999-2004 © Jone Johnson Lewis.