In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first American woman to obtain a medical degree. Following in her footsteps in the early 1980s, Brenda Berkman was the first woman to challenge New York City's ban on female firefighters. During the last few centuries, countless women have made amazing contributions to society. Women are now Nobel Peace Prize winners, world-class athletes, and talented inventors and adventurers. Some women, such as Shirley Muldowney,...

"As a hurricane gathered in the Caribbean, blue skies covered Galveston, Texas. Scientists knew a storm was coming. But none of them were able to prepare Galveston for the force of the hurricane that hit on September 8, 1900. The water from the storm surge pulled houses off their foundations, and the winds toppled telephone poles and trees like toothpicks. And amid the chaos, Galveston's residents did all they could to rescue one another. From the...

"Bobby thought a trip down the Cass River with his three best friends sounded like a great idea. They had a four-day fall break and were looking for an exciting adventure during the Halloween weekend. Just weeks earlier, their science teacher, Mr. Hill, had shown them pictures of a giant northern pike. These huge fish came up out of their deep hiding spots in the fall to feast before th long, cold winter. His pictures showed a fish with razor sharp...