20 Women Who Made History By Bending Gender Roles

A name likely attributed to more than one woman, Molly Pitcher often refers to Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley. During the American Revolutionary War, women – including Pitcher and Martha Washington – cared for wounded soldiers and carried water to the battlefield to cool down cannon barrels. Pitcher was with her husband while he was fighting the British at the Battle of Monmouth. When he was carried off the battlefield after collapsing, Molly Pitcher defied all gender roles and jumped up to take his place loading the cannon. It’s even reported a British cannonball flew just between her legs, not injuring her but tearing off her lower skirt. Her epic response? “Well, that could have been worse,” before she went back to loading the cannon.