About This Daily Classroom Special Profiles of Famous Women was written by
Michael Cawthra, teacher at Kyffin Elementary School, Golden (CO) and former
Teachers Network web mentor.
March is Women's History Month!
Read about the accomplishments of these famous women.
Joan of Arc
The national heroine of France for turning the tide of the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc came into the picture when the English attacked her home in Orleans. She went to meet the dauphin Charles, who was to become the king of France. He hid in the audience to test Joan, and she was able to identify the dauphin from an entire crowd in the castle. Dressed in a man's white armor, Joan then led an army to victory. When Charles was crowned king, Joan was beside him. The English army attacked again, this time capturing Joan. They found her guilty of heresy, and burned her at the stake on 30 May 1431. When she died, an English soldier said, "My God, we have burned a saint." In 1920 she was canonized, and is honored as the patron saint of France.