Mary Wollstonecraft was born on April 27, 1759, in Spitalfields, London, England.¹⁾

She was the second of seven children in her family.²⁾

Wollstonecraft's father was abusive, which led to a tumultuous and unstable childhood.³⁾

At the age of 19, she moved out of her family home to escape her father's abuse.⁴⁾

She initially worked as a lady’s companion, then as a schoolteacher and governess.⁵⁾

In 1784, she helped found a school in Newington Green, London.⁶⁾

Her first book, “Thoughts on the Education of Daughters,” was published in 1787.⁷⁾

Wollstonecraft worked as a translator for Joseph Johnson, a prominent radical publisher.⁸⁾

She contributed to the Analytical Review, a periodical founded by Johnson.⁹⁾

Wollstonecraft is best known for her work “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” (1792), a seminal text in feminist philosophy.¹⁰⁾

In “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” she argued strongly for the education of women.¹¹⁾

She critiqued Jean-Jacques Rousseau's views on women, particularly in his book “Emile.”¹²⁾

Wollstonecraft was a supporter of the French Revolution initially and wrote “A Vindication of the Rights of Men” (1790) in response to Edmund Burke's “Reflections on the Revolution in France.”¹³⁾

Her works laid the foundation for modern feminist thought and advocacy.¹⁴⁾

Wollstonecraft had a complex personal life, including a tumultuous relationship with the American adventurer Gilbert Imlay.¹⁵⁾

Her book “Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark” (1796) is a travel narrative that also delves into personal and philosophical reflections.¹⁶⁾

Wollstonecraft attempted suicide twice due to her troubled relationship with Imlay.¹⁷⁾

She married the political philosopher William Godwin in 1797.¹⁸⁾

Wollstonecraft had two daughters: Fanny Imlay with Gilbert Imlay and Mary Shelley with William Godwin.¹⁹⁾

She died of puerperal fever on September 10, 1797, shortly after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley.²⁰⁾

Her daughter, Mary Shelley, went on to write the classic novel “Frankenstein.”²¹⁾

Wollstonecraft is buried at St. Pancras Old Church in London.²²⁾

William Godwin published “Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” in 1798, which revealed much about her personal life.²³⁾

Godwin's memoir initially damaged her reputation due to its candid revelations about her personal life.²⁴⁾

Wollstonecraft's ideas have had a lasting impact on feminist theory and women's rights movements.²⁵⁾

In 2020, a statue commemorating Wollstonecraft was erected in Newington Green, London.²⁶⁾

Her ideas influenced educational reforms that emphasized the importance of educating girls.²⁷⁾

Wollstonecraft’s writing style was direct, passionate, and unafraid to challenge societal norms.²⁸⁾

She contributed significantly to Enlightenment thought and debates on the nature of human rights and gender equality.²⁹⁾

She believed that women should be treated as rational beings and capable of reason.³⁰⁾

Wollstonecraft was friends with the influential revolutionary writer Thomas Paine.³¹⁾

She criticized the institution of marriage as it existed in her time, seeing it as oppressive to women.³²⁾

Wollstonecraft was part of an early feminist network that included other radical thinkers of her time.³³⁾

Her writings influenced the women’s suffrage movement in the 19th and 20th centuries.³⁴⁾

She was an early advocate for home education and the development of children's moral and intellectual capacities.³⁵⁾

Wollstonecraft was active in radical political circles in London, which were hotbeds of revolutionary ideas.³⁶⁾

She wrote literary reviews and essays critiquing the works of her contemporaries.³⁷⁾

Wollstonecraft’s work extended beyond gender issues to broader social justice concerns.³⁸⁾

Her ideas influenced later social reformers, including John Stuart Mill.³⁹⁾

Wollstonecraft's works are studied extensively in literature, history, and gender studies programs.⁴⁰⁾

Her vision of gender equality was far ahead of her time, advocating for equal opportunities in education and employment.⁴¹⁾

She wrote during a period of great political upheaval, including the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the early stages of the Industrial Revolution.⁴²⁾

Wollstonecraft paved the way for future generations of women writers and intellectuals.⁴³⁾

Despite initial posthumous controversy, she is now celebrated as a pioneer in feminist thought.⁴⁴⁾

Mary Wollstonecraft remains an inspirational figure for those advocating for gender equality and human rights today.⁴⁵⁾