The first state to grant women’s suffrage: The Wyoming Territory granted women suffrage in 1869 (51 years before women could vote nationally).

Wearing pants in U.S. Congress: Women were prohibited from wearing pants on the Senate floor until 1993.

Women could not apply for their own credit card until the Equal Opportunity Act was passed in 1974.

In 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act made it illegal for employers to fire employees once they became pregnant.

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920.

In 1960, the pill became available to the public but only for married women (to be used for family planning) and it was still illegal in some states.

The first time a U.S. court recognized sexual harassment int he workplace case was in 1977.

Before the "No Fault" Divorce law in 1969 (which allowed couples to end marriages because of "irreconcilable differences"), it was very difficult to get a divorce. Before this law came into effect, a spouse had to show "fault" which included proof of adultery, abandonment, or cruelty--things that could be difficult to prove in a court of law.

Before the Cable Act of 1922, American women lost their citizenship if they married a non-U.S. citizen (due to the Expatriation Act of 1907). This rule did not apply to men who married non-U.S. citizens.

Obtaining a business loan without a male cosigner: Before the Women’s Business Ownership Act in 1988, in many states, women needed a man (husband or relative) to co-sign business loans.

Women were banned from fighting in combat in the armed forces until 2013.