recently traveled to chico, california. learn more about chico and other stops on our tour at c-span.org. your watching american history tv, all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. >> join us on american history tv next sunday, april 9, at 10:00 a.m. eastern for a ceremony marking the 100 anniversary of america's entry into world war i. the united states world war i centennial commission hosts the program from the national world war i is he him and memorial in kansas city, missouri. president woodrow wilson signed a declaration of war against germany on april 6, 1917. more than 4 million american women and men served in uniform, and more than 100,000 died. that is on american history tv on c-span3. something, 2, 19

jeannette rankin of montana was sworn in as the first woman elected to congress. here is a brief look at her life and career. >> the story of women in congress against the jeannette rankin, elected to the house in 1916 from montana. fours elected for years -- years before women have the right to vote nationally. she is a bridge from the suffrage movement to women attaining full political rights. she was active in the national women's suffrage organization. she helped women get the right to vote in montana and a couple of states west of the mississippi. she runs in 1916. see is elected to montana's two at large districts. she is a pacifist. she is sworn into the house on

april 2, 1917. the house comes into special session because the president that night, woodrow wilson, delivers a message to congress asking for a declaration of war against germany. nkin, one that vote is held, is one of a group of about 50 members who votes against u.s. intervention in world war i. she served a term in the house. she was on the women's suffrage committee. she was on the public lands committee, which was an important assignment for a woman from antenna -- montana. held bythe lands are the federal government. she serves only one term in the house. she tries to run for senate. she does not get the republican nomination. she runs as an independent.

she gets about 1/5 of the votes. she goes back to private life. she is involved in women's rights issues. she is a driving force behind the shepherd towner maternity and infancy act, which the house passes in 1921. she is involved in international peace organizations. 1940, she runs for congress again. keepuns on a platform to the u.s. out of the war in europe. on december 8, 1941 , with a tremendous vote. this is the day after pearl harbor. has come to the house to address a joint session of congress. 7, 1941,day, december

a date which will live in infamy. >> the senate goes back to its chamber and quickly passes a war resolution, and the house begins debating. the house members know that jeanette rankin is a pacifist, and she is going to vote her conscience. we have some oral histories of people who are in the chamber overcall members going up to her and asking her to vote presence, don't vote no. she votes her conscience. she is the lone vote against entry into world war ii. that effectively ended her political career. she goes back into private life. in the antiwar movement for another couple of decades. a remarkable career.

>> in 2004, we commissioned a new portrait of jeannette rankin. she is a person who is so important in the history and expansion of rights and representation in congress. show what it was like to come into congress as the first woman when women don't even have the right to vote nationally. ,ecause it was the 20th century 1916 in 1917 when she is elected and enters congress, there is a lot of newspaper coverage. because she is a woman, there is a lot of coverage of what she is wearing. we know exactly what she is wearing. the portrait shows her in that navy blue dress. we know she was wearing a big hat. we know exactly what "the washington post" said that morning. one of the things that was most interesting is that she is wearing the hat and displaced

just outside the chamber doors. if we were to enter into that space with her, she would be just about to turn to her right and enter the chamber, at which point she would take off her hat. hats were not worn in the chamber human though there was much discussion of, as a woman, should she wear a hat because that is formal attire? ishii not a woman but a member of congress? it turns out she is more a member of congress that her gender. -- than her gender. we want the sense of the fact that she was in the house but much more a creature of her other interests as well, pacifism, suffrage, all of the issues that were important to her. in,as a lonely spot to be the only woman and taking these stands of conscience.

♪ unfoldsn, where history daily. in 1979, c-span was created as a public service america's cable television companies. it is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. next on american history tv, a panel of historians explores the reagan administration's relations with the middle east and asia. they discussed fears of an american decline as well as the cold war importance of these regions. the clements center for national security at austin texas posted this -- hosted this program. this program is about an hour and 45 minutes. >> thank you all for coming to the