Who was the first woman to run for president in the U.S.?

Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for president in the United States, doing so in the 1872 election. Woodhull was a prominent suffragist and a strong advocate for women's rights during a time when women did not have the right to vote in many parts of the country. Her candidacy was significant because it challenged the traditional views of a woman's role in society and politics.

Woodhull represented the Equal Rights Party, and although she did not appear on the ballot in many states and faced significant political and social obstacles, her campaign was a groundbreaking moment in U.S. history, highlighting the growing movement for women's suffrage. This early attempt at participation in presidential politics set a precedent for future female candidates.

Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Margaret Sanger all played important roles in American history, particularly in advancing women's rights and health issues, but they did not run for the presidency as early as Woodhull. Clinton would ultimately become the first woman to be a major party nominee for president in 2016, while Stanton and Sanger were more involved in advocacy and reform movements rather than direct political candidacy at the presidential level.