Women in the Civil War free essay sample

Women wanted to begin to stand up for themselves and what they believed in. Both the Union and the Confederacy forbid women being enlisting into the war. As time went on the roles of the women during the Civil War changed dramatically. As the Civil War began the women felt the need that they should participate and take action in the war. Women came up with masculine names and disguised themselves as men so they could join the military. Since the females went unknown there is not a certain amount of women who participated in the war. Other women who did not feel the need to take action in the military contributed in many other ways to the war. Many women took care of family farms and businesses, took charge of slaves, and took over multiple jobs and roles that were dominated by men. Women took over local industries, teaching jobs and provided the Union and Confederacy with necessities that were needed. We will write a custom essay sample on Women in the Civil War or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In addition women took on the role of nursing that was normally occupied by men. The women took care of the Union and Confederacy’s wounded soldiers as best as they could since they did not have proper schooling on nursing. Roughly two thousand women, from both the North and the South, served as volunteer nurses during the Civil War. The women had witnessed things they’ve never experienced before from amputating limbs, disease, damaged bodies and death. Nursing was one of the most distinguished military roles during the war. The nursing portion of the war began when small groups of women made organizations to care for the wounded soldiers who returned back home. In 1861, a woman named Clara Barton quickly began to collect medical supplies needed to aid the soldiers from her Massachusetts community. As Barton gathered her supplies she traveled alongside the Union army ambulances and nursed the wounded soldiers. Other women just like Clara Barton were an important impact and well needed factor for the Civil War. Women before the Civil War were not taken so seriously and were looked down upon men. As the war begun and went on women felt the need to show the ociety that women were just as equal as men and could help out during the war too. Following the Civil War women were faced with several new opportunities available to them. Multiple job openings became presented to the women and a lot of women became employed. Women were given the opportunity to stay on the farm with their families or make some extra money working in the industries. More money and time was available to women so they were able to become involved with social causes, such as t he suffrage movement. Although women were still not seen as equal to men, they were not paid as much as men were while working in the factories. Women after the Civil War were admired and acknowledged for what they did to contribute to the war but still were not seen as equal to men and their abilities. The Civil War gave the women the chance to prove to themselves and others that they could help out and not just stand by waiting for their men. Women in the Civil War had a big impact on society which gives them opportunities later on in life. Women contributed in many ways throughout the Civil War.