The first woman to be elected to a national office in the U.S. was Jeannette Rankin. Elected in 1916 to the House of Representatives from Montana, Rankin was a prominent suffragist and advocate for women's rights. Her election came four years before women gained the right to vote nationwide with the 19th Amendment. Rankin’s political career was marked by her pacifist beliefs; she notably voted against entering World War I and later opposed World War II. Throughout her life, she continued to champion social justice and peace, making her a significant figure in American history and a trailblazer for women's political engagement.