Who was the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State?

• A. Sally Ride
• B. Eleanor Roosevelt
• C. Hillary Rodham Clinton
• D. Michelle Obama

Answer: (C)

This question tests knowledge of a historic milestone in the U.S. government: who first broke the gender barrier in the role of Secretary of State, the president’s top diplomat who leads the State Department and shapes foreign policy. Hillary Rodham Clinton accomplished this in 2009, when she was sworn in as the Secretary of State under President Barack Obama, making her the first woman to hold the post. Her background as a Senator from New York and as First Lady contributed to her qualifications to lead U.S. diplomacy at that time, and she served in that role until 2013. The other names listed are known for different roles—Sally Ride was an astronaut, Eleanor Roosevelt was a renowned First Lady and diplomat-influenced figure who never held the secretary position, and Michelle Obama was also a First Lady—so none of them served as Secretary of State.