In the late 1300s the 100 Years’ War was a major conflict between France and England. When Joan of Arc was born, in 1412, England was winning. Joan was the daughter of a poor tenant farmer, Jacques d’Arc and her mother, Isabelle Romee. As she grew up her mother taught her how to sew and she sometimes worked in the field with her father, this made her stronger then the typical farm girl. 

        As England was winning the war, things were a struggle for the French. Many villages were being attacked. People in her village, Domremy, had to abandon their houses and leave the village because of the war. While this was happening Joan’s, father tried to set up an arranged marriage for her, but she fought against it and did not get married. 

        When she was 12, she started receiving visions and hearing voices from God and Saints. These visions were telling her to go and lead the French Army in victory in the Siege of Orleans. She had these visions for multiple years until she decided to act on them when she was 16. Many people thought she was crazy because at this time women were always looked at less than men and only men could fight in wars. Also, people that received visions from God were only wise and older people and it was not common.