Roles Of Women During The Civil War

They opened up their homes to the wounded, raised money for and provided food and clothing to the Army. There are even several recorded instances of women serving as spies or soldiers in disguise. Most of the active participants however, were in the form of what was called "camp followers". While some of these were women were prostitutes, many others were wives, daughters and mothers of soldiers who followed the Army because they were unable to support themselves after their men left for war. They served the Continental Army as nurses, cooks, laundresses, and water bearers. These women became the earliest American examples of women who supported the military to "free a man to fight" as they performed jobs usually done by male soldiers.

It’s little wonder, then some women, like many men, kept at the change for adventure by volunteering to fight when Civil War has broke out. About 250 female civil war soldier have been recognized through historical and there were probably more. They took every major battle, at the battle of Shiloh in April 1862, for example, there were about six women fought including

They never were able to enjoy the luxury of womanhood. As one historian said, "being a women never saved a single female from hard labor, beatings, rape, family separation, and death" (“Women in the Civil War”). Many women had to do the work of their partners. (“Women in the Civil War.”)

Most African American women supplied aid to black troops only, but there were few that were able to work in military hospitals wherever permitted. They fulfilled the regular duties of a nurse; they took care of the wounded and sick, went out to the battlefields to rescue the wounded, and even carried some dead off of the field. Another job that African American women held was working as spies and scouts, giving directions and information, and feeding and sheltering soldiers. The women of the South usually assisted white and black soldiers in the Union (Harper 4).

Women in the Confederacy had a great impact on the Civil War. They were thrown into totally different lifestyles--ones that did not include men taking care of the land and other businesses. Women had more control of their lives than ever before. Some took it upon themselves to get involved directly with the war while others just kept the home fires burning. Whatever roles they played, women contributed a multitude of skills to the Civil War effort.

When the American Civil War began on April 12th, 1861, over 3 million Union and Confederate soldiers prepared for battle. Men from all over America were called upon to support their side in the confrontation. While their battles are well documented and historically analyzed for over a hundred years, there is one aspect, one dark spot missing in the picture: the role of women in the American Civil War. From staying at home to take care of the children to disguising themselves as men to fight on the battlefield, women contributed in many ways to the war effort on both sides. Though very few women are recognized for their vital contributions, even fewer are

The Civil War altered the lives of women, in both the North and South, just as it altered the nation as a whole. Although it is irrefutable that both the North and the South felt the wrath of the war, the South encountered a unique set of troubles that caused the weight of the war to fall predominantly on Southern women. Attempting to understand the experiences of all Southern women during the Civil War does not come without its challenges. It is impossible to connect the stories and experiences of all Confederate women without generalizing their history. However, by narrowing the analysis to a singular concentration of middle and upper class white-Southern women, there can be greater understanding of the complex relationship between the history of the Civil War and the Southern women who endured it.

The American Civil War was a time of great trial and tribulation for the American people. It forced individuals to choose a cause, and many families were torn asunder as they chose opposing sides. As the men marched off to war a small group of women prepared to wage a different kind of warfare. These women became an overlooked but deadly force using espionage and womanly wiles to gather military intelligence for their cause. They used whatever means they had at their disposal to enter into the confidence of men within the opposing side and gain their trust. Women during this period were often overlooked as insignificant and stationary. Women were meant to stay within the home and care for their families needs. However, these extraordinary women rose to answer a more imminent need. These brave women had a profound influence on their cause.

When we think of the Civil War, many think of the sacrifices and influences of the men during this time. Women of the Civil War however, were also active participants of making history. Their lives before the war were that of being proper. Their focus was working to maintain and support their families. The Civil War stole away the life as women knew it and placed them into a whole different role- one that was much more difficult both physically and emotionally. Women of both the North and the South were forced to accept a much different role in order to survive. The Civil War was the first account in history where women had an active role throughout a war. It was their first opportunity to make a difference in our country’s history.

Women in the 1860’s during the Civil War would dress in uniform also cut their hair and pass as men to fight along their male comrades.Other women went to be nurses for the North and South there were also women who would stay home and take their husband's role it shows women worked hard to provide for their families and for themselves.

Women cannot fight, perform manual labor and certainly cannot handle the rigors of war. This fact has been handed down to us since the beginning of time, so it must be true, right? The Civil War and the years leading up to it are very much like other times of war. Men are the dominate force in policy, finance and rights. Women are fighting for justice, equality and a say in the country that they call home. Women are regularly oppressed and looked down upon, yet when the country is in turmoil they rise to the challenge.

The American Civil War started in 1861 after the newly elected president, Abraham Lincoln, pledged to put an end to slavery (Tignor). To the American South, the absence of slaves would create a drastic change in their way of life. Plantations would be unable to produce the necessary amount of cotton and tobacco needed to keep the economy from falling apart (Trueman). In fear and protest of their livelihoods being so radically changed, the people of the South decided that it would be better to secede from the union and become the Confederate States of America. Thus, the war began and although many stories are told about the men who fought in the war and the Union leaders that made the country unite again, not much is said about the women of the Civil War. The women of the South had varying experiences based on whether they were elite white women, poor unionist women, or slaves.

During the Civil War, American women want to find a way to contribute to the war. Women in the North and South joined as volunteers and signed up to work as nurses. It was the first time in American history that women were allowed to

Women in the Civil War played a big part in it. Many women dressed like men to fight in the war to show not all women are weak. No soldiers in the fight knew women were upon them until after they were wounded or killed. Most of the time women joined the fight to be with

The American Civil War was a four year long war which consisted of the Union (with states such as Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and others) and the Confederacy (which consisted of states such as Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and others). This war lasted between the twelfth of April, 1861 and the ninth of May, 1865. Estimated death count throughout the entirety of the war is estimated between sixty-five thousand and eighty-five thousand. That’s nearing on almost a million American lives, with brothers and fathers fighting one another in the brutal and heart wrenching war. Many states in the north, the Union states, had completely industrialized themselves, most with huge factories with hard workers in those factories