America's 250-year history features prominent men who built and shaped the nation. But less is known

about the women whose contributions were just as important. In her new book, We the Women,

the Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America, Nora O'Donnell writes about 35 remarkable women, each of whom

played pivotal roles in influencing the country we live in today.

I spoke with Nora recently, and I began by asking her why these stories needed to be told.

The truth is a lot of women's stories had been lost to history because historians and others didn't think they were important enough to save, quite frankly.

So in uncovering and excavating these great stories, I found myself to be sort of inspired by these women

because they were brave, courageous, gutsy, patriotic.

And I also wonder how much my own sense of self would have changed as a young girl had I learned about these stories.

And look, this is not just my impression, you know, in researching this book, the National Women's History Museum says 15% of what we learn in school focuses on the achievements and accomplishments of women.

Wow.

That has to change.

It's not that women weren't doing stuff. They were doing plenty. It's just we haven't highlighted their stories. Well, the book is a good place to start for some ideas. We should be learning more about. I want to touch on just a few so folks get a sampling of what's in here. There are some familiar names. Obviously, people will recognize Eleanor Roosevelt and Patsy Mink. A lot of names I was learning about for the first time as well.

Mercy Otis Warren. You write about her, the intellectual, a writer, historian. She spent decades crafting a multi-volume history about the American Revolution.

And then John Adams dismissed her saying, history is not the province of the ladies.

Why is her story important to know?

Mercy Otis Warren is called the First Lady of the American Revolution.

And she looks at the Constitution and what John Adams is doing.

And she's an anti-federalist.

She says, too much power in the federal government.

We need to focus more on individual liberties.

Mercy or disworn, a Jeffersonian Republican, and hence becomes the secret muse of the Bill of Rights.

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