My school offers seniors the opportunity to apply for and complete a Senior Honors Independent Study (SHIS) on any subject they choose. I decided to write about conservatism and the Republican Party from the 1960’s to present day with a specific focus on California and Ronald Reagan. And the more I read about the GOP in the 1970’s, the more I recognize the distinct need for a Women’s AP US History class.

Who Even Is Jill Ruckelhaus?

I had never heard the name before. Phyllis Schlafly? Maybe once or twice, in case an obscure multiple choice question appeared on the AP exam. Anita Bryant? Nope. Mary Louise Smith? Forget about it! All of these women had a crucial impact on the Republican Party during this period, and I knew nothing about them. I am a girl, the daughter of conservative parents, a student who received a 5 on the APUSH exam, I didn’t know who these women were.

It worries me that I only learned of the contributions of these women once I conducted intensive research on my own time. Most other students at my school and beyond will go through their education completely unaware of not just these women, but the countless others who have contributed to our country and altered history.

Back to the beginning

In my very first blog, I noted the importance of seeing ourselves in history, and how teaching students about women in history in the classroom setting is crucial in order to empower young girls and ensure important stories are not forgotten.

Despite second-class treatment for hundreds of years, American women contributed to history in innumerable ways. Their work should not be kept secret, nor regarded as a “niche” subject reserved for the intellectual with a little too much time on their hands. The names of historic female figures cannot be esoteric, and that, above all else, is why we need WAPUSH in the classroom.