The American Civil War was a time of pronounced racial and gender role changes. Despite political tension and fighting, many women began to hold a variety of jobs in order to make valuable contributions to the war effort. Moreover, a patriarchal government governed the effects of slavery and the economy. Nonetheless, the influence women had during the Civil War tends to be minimized, especially African American women. Despite facing discrimination, black women greatly influenced the war effort. The discrimination they faced is most prominently seen through wage disparities between white and black female workers and the pensions black women were denied when the war came to an end. One such occupation African American women held were as …show more content…
Approximately 750,000 men died; a death toll greater than those who passed in all other American wars combined. This means soldiers were dying at incredibly high rates and as a result, there was a great need for medical personnel in both hospitals and the battlefield. Most of these numbers are said to be the result of illnesses such as dysentery, small pox, malaria and typhoid which killed more soldiers than battle wounds. Because of this, many African American women took on different jobs to contribute to the war effort such as becoming nurses.
Although most nurses tended to be men during the war, a vast amount of females were joining the effort. According to historians, approximately 2000 females worked as nurses in both the North and the South. Record books show that African American nurses served in both the Union and Confederate hospitals. US government hospitals in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina had as many 181 black female and male nurses. Nonetheless; the Civil War would determine the fate of slavery as a result of the nation’s refusal to compromise on the issue between the North and the South. The dividing factor was indeed the institution of slavery and the effect slavery had on the economy. During the 19th century, the north was industrializing; its economy began to rely more on wage laborers rather than slaves. The South’s farming economy, however, remained to rely
Nearly 20,000 women worked directly towards the American Civil War effort. Clara Barton, and many other brave women risked their lives aiding the sick and wounded alongside Dorthea Dix. Elizabeth Blackwell and Clara Barton were both inspired to create aid and relief organizations. The few female surgeons during the civil war took part in destroying the stereotype that women can’t be surgeons. Hannah Ropes and Mary Ann Bickerdyke stood up to their male superiors and achieved respect in the hospitals across America. As the American Civil War progressed, women started to stray from their traditional feminine roll by supporting the medical field in many ways, such as nursing on the battlefront and creating aid organizations, becoming surgeons, and earning respect in the hospital system.
After four years of seemingly endless battle between a divided nation, more than 600,000 people were killed. These lives, however, were not given in vain. Had it not been for the American Civil War, abolition may not have been carried out. The nation might have remained divided. Women might have remained confined to their roles as the "homemakers." Although the Civil War was fought in hopes of preserving the nation and ridding it of slavery, another war raged on within the depths of this war--the women's war. Serving as nurses both in the hospital and on the battlefields, women came to know a whole
First off the nurses were important because they were the ones who helped the injured ones or the sick ones. Normally it would be the nurses who would find out if the women disguised as men would actually be a woman and when they found out the truth they would have to go and tell a genreal the truth. Now between 2,000 to 5,000 women volunteered as nurses during the war. Nursing was a gruesome job that provided an upclose look at the horrific casualties of the war. Civil War nurses cleaned wounds, fed soldiers, dispensed medication and assisted surgeons during operations and medical procedure like amputations.
The Civil War were extremely affected the lives of American women. Many handful are disguised as men and jointed the fight, over served aspies and nurses. Many women took the role at home after their husband , brother, and father, were at the war. Thousands of women were enslaved began transition to freedom, beginning new lives surrounded by the war.
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.”)
These military hospitals were prone for infectious diseases that was detrimental to their health. Soldiers would come off the battlefield with “measles, smallpox, typhoid, and malaria” the list goes on. It was easy for nurse to contract these disease because the military hospital were so overcrowded and had poor ventilation. Military nurses did not let that stop them from taking care of soldiers. Women would work all hours of the night making sure the wounded and ill soldiers had the best care. It was their duty to see after the soldiers and they were proud of
During the Civil War, women accepted the generally male occupation of nurses. Nursing was one of the most significant ways that women contributed to the war. It is estimated that over 3,000 women volunteered as nurses during the Civil War. According to Women in the Civil War, “so many women eagerly volunteered for the job, they earned a nickname from the press, Florence Nightingales”. Until the Civil War, women rarely worked as nurses outside the home. Whether on the side of the Confederate or the Union women took care of the wounded the best they could. Huge causalities on both sides meant everyone was directly affected by the war, even those living far from the battlefields. In many places in the South, where most of the fighting took place, every available building became hospitals, and women
For the African American women that couldn't get jobs in the war, they spent their time supporting and setting up organizations to aid the black troops. The United States Colored Infantry, National Freedmen's Relief Association, and Ladies' Union Association were just a few of the organizations set up to provide the necessary care for the black troops. Most of the organizations were set up in fear that the black troops would not receive the same privileges and care that the white troops had. These organizations would send the black troops clothing, blankets, and food. The women would also help the families of the troops. They had shelter for the families to stay in and they would help write the soldiers letters. One of the most important aspects of these organizations was during the war they rallied other African Americans for their fight against
When you hear women in the civil war, what do you think? Some people think can that really be, women are not meant for war, all they are needed for is cooking and cleaning and taking care of their children. Well everyone who stereotypes women of that is wrong, because just like men women did have some part of the civil war. Although they may have not fought in the war, they did help with the recovery of the injured men so that they can go back and fight in the war. Being a union nurse is not the only way they were apart of the war, some women did things that went down in history. Just like Harriet Tubman, who made history because she was the creator of the Underground Railroad. She was not the only women who was part of the army and made a
As most of us know the women of the Civil War were a lot different I believe than the
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.
Some of the first female nurses entered the battlefields during the Revolutionary War (“Women’s”). So, when the Civil War began in 1861, “between 2,000 to 5,000 women volunteered as nurses” (Brooks). Nurses had to deal with a lot of traumatic events, and “many nurses came under fire and were wounded or killed. One quarter suffered serious illnesses, and there was a constant risk from typhoid fever,
It is an accepted convention that the Civil War was a man’s fight, but to the women in that time period, it was not. Many women sacrificed their lives to fight for their family and for their country. The Civil War is symbolic in American history because it shaped society, as we know it today, “Free of slavery”. During the Civil War, women were mostly confined to the domestic sphere and were not allowed to serve in combat. Researchers have noted that women did indeed disguise themselves as men just to fight. During this time period, women felt strongly about staying in their courters
There weren't many civil war opportunities.The Union Navy had been already been accepting African American volunteers. All replaced millions of men fighting in the from, it contributed to the economy and production of weapons needed in the war.There were more opportunities open to women overall in the World War I years. Women were able to work the jobs that the men fighting could not. With so many fighting, and working for the war effort on the home front, there were more opportunities for equality.Though they did not fight on the battlefield, the role of women would increase due to the war. Women commonly served as nurses during the Civil War, and while nursing was a low paying male occupation before the war, it became almost exclusively
After watching Little Women, it has come to my attention that although women may not have had such a great title besides as being made to tend to the house. They play a huge role in the Civil War and without them, the war wouldn’t have been fought and a number of soldiers would be left untreated and they all would perish. The movie also depicts the situation that the women were in wanting education, travel, and receive many nice things for themselves. Women did not want to be different they wanted equality. Demonstrating that the Civil War caused a spark in the women’s think eventually leading to a progression to achieve equal rights. Learning about this and connecting it to reality the difference between men and women still exist and the fight