Who was the first woman to be president?

As an expert in political history, I can provide a comprehensive answer to your question regarding the first woman to be president. It's important to clarify the distinction between being a presidential candidate and actually holding the office of president. The first woman to be president is a title that has been held by several individuals in different countries, but the context of your question seems to be focused on the United States, so I will address that specifically. Step 1: English Answer Victoria Woodhull is often cited as the first woman to run for president in the United States, but her 1872 campaign was more symbolic than substantive due to the fact that women did not have the right to vote at the time. Woodhull was a suffragist and a member of the Equal Rights Party. Her running mate was Frederick Douglass, a former slave and prominent abolitionist. However, because of the legal barriers in place, neither Woodhull nor Douglass could have been elected, even if they had won the popular vote. Fast forward to the 20th century, we see significant strides in women's political participation. In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to run on a major party's presidential ticket when she was selected as Walter Mondale's vice-presidential candidate. The first woman to be nominated for president by a major party was Hillary Clinton in 2016. Clinton, a former First Lady, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State, secured the Democratic Party's nomination for president. This was a historic moment for women in American politics, as it marked the first time a woman had been placed on a major party's ticket for the presidency. Despite a contentious and polarizing campaign, Clinton won the popular vote but lost the electoral college to her opponent, Donald Trump. It's also worth noting that while Clinton was the first woman to be nominated by a major party, she was not the first woman to run for president. Several women had run for the office before her, but none had secured the nomination of a major party until Clinton's successful campaign. In terms of women who have actually held the office of president, we must look beyond the United States. There have been numerous women who have served as presidents or prime ministers around the world. For example, Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world's first female head of government in 1960 when she was elected as Prime Minister. Additionally, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir became the world's first female president when she was elected in Iceland in 1980. Step 2: Divider

In 1872, Victoria Woodhull became the first female presidential candidate. Her candidacy preceded suffrage for women in the U.S. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first female presidential candidate nominated by a major party, namely the Democratic Party.