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Essay On The Civil War On African American Women

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The Civil War can barely be called “humane”, but it was key to bringing out the human side in many people. Women, children, and African Americans were among these people who changed the ways of society at that time. African Americans were slaves at this time, and most fought for the North. Some claim they were the best fighters; ordinarily, they fought for their freedom. The 54th Massachusetts was an army of all black soldiers who showed great courage under fire. Some African Americans earned the Medal of Honor. Shaw, the leader of the 54th, wanted the best weapons an equal pay for his soldiers. Most were escaped slaves that became heroes in the North. Women revolutionized the medical fields. They created a system called triage which assessed the level of urgency the patients. A woman named Clara Barton was a nurse who went on to found the Red Cross. Some wrote letters to lonely soldiers, some took wounded into their homes. They comforted soldiers on their deathbed, and also aided surgeons with surgery. Some women acted as spies for the North or South. However, some women disguised themselves as men to to get into the army. …show more content…

Some lost their fathers to war, and they became orphans. Boys young as ten, and sometimes even younger, were allowed to join the army as drummer boys. Some boys would “prove themselves” by becoming a drummer boy; some even got their parent’s blessing. A boy named Clem joined the army when he was younger than ten. He faced great danger and was almost shot at. He was later promoted general at a young age for shooting a leader of the Confederate Army. He showed that children were in the middle of war as well. These groups made a major impact the Civil War . Without the caring and daring women, the brave African Americans, and the courageous children, the Civil War would have been very

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