c.1601

Gloucester, England

c.1671

Virginia

Landowner and business agent

" . . . it was better for the Collonys safety at the time in her hands then in any mans else in the whole Province. . . . "

The Maryland Assembly.

Margaret Brent was a unique figure in seventeenth-century Maryland. An independent, wealthy woman, she was actively involved in the legal and political affairs of the colony at a time when women had little or no power. Brent is remembered today as a feminist because she demanded the right to vote in Maryland, even though she knew she would be denied the privilege because of her gender. It is believed that she was the first practicing female attorney in America. Some historians point out, however, that Brent was not actually advocating equality for women in general, and she was never licensed as a lawyer. Nonetheless, she...