Many people have asked the question, and many others have been asked, ‘What is the greatest country in the world?’ Or, if you live in America, ‘Why is America the greatest country in the world?’ Many people answer this by saying things such as freedom, our education, diversity, etc., while others may say the people who live here, namely, Americans. Yet few are able to sufficiently answer the next question, ‘What makes a person an American?’ Many will say that living here makes you an American. Yet they seem to forget about the thousands, if not millions, of illegal immigrants that are living in our country. Are they Americans just because they are living in our country? Our federal government does not agree, which is why we have several laws concerning the deportation of illegal immigrants. Others, who see past the simple idea of living here as a means of being an American, may say that your characteristics help to define you as an American. Yet the most agreeable answer would be a combination of the two. An American would be someone who lives in America legally, and also holds within themselves various characteristics, which among these include an over-abundance of confidence,
Josie Rhett explains that, “America’s bloodiest clash, the sectional conflict of the Civil War pitted the Union against the Confederate States of America and resulted in the death of more than 620,000, with millions more injured.” So it is clear that many men lost their lives in this gruesome war between the states. Women also played an important role in the civil war. Aaron Eriz points out, “American women during the Civil War played many roles. Before, during, and after the war, women’s lives told a vital and often heartrending part of the tragic American story.” The Civil War, in a sense, forced women into public life in ways they could scarcely imagine. Women played many roles and very important parts in the Civil
When first examining the documentation it is difficult to comprehend whether women were being patronized or treated too delicately; the fact of the matter is the average treatment of women during this era was radically different from society’s attitude toward men. It is also evident women exploited stereotypes to their advantage. Larry G. Eggleston explains the particular viewpoint of American society in Women of the Civil War as “Women were held with respect even though they were considered to be the weaker sex. Many women broke away from society’s traditional view of women when the Civil War began” (1). To avoid detection agents often manipulated social stigmas. Traditionally, Men were expected to join their countrymen upon the battlefield and women were to remain at home attempting to keep order. Some women were equally effective from their posts at home, while acting as scouts for their respected causes.
Women played an important role throughout American history. They were known in the Civil War to be doing various acts. Women had enlisted in the army as soldiers, spied and gathered information about the enemy, took care of wounded soldiers, traveled and helped within the military camps and even took over their husbands’ businesses. There were many things that they did to contribute to the war just as much as the men did. Even though it was dangerous they still helped whether it was on the battlefield, in a hospital, or at home, they still tried to help out the best they could.
In the book Women in the Civil War, by Mary Massey, the author tells about how American women had an impact on the Civil War. She mentioned quite a few famous and well-known women such as, Dorothea Dix and Clara Barton, who were nurses, and Pauline Cushman and Belle Boyd, who were spies. She also mentioned black abolitionists, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, feminist Susan B. Anthony, and many more women. Massey talks about how the concept of women changed as a result of the war. She informed the readers about the many accomplishments made by those women. Because of the war, women were able to achieve things, which caused for them to be viewed differently in the end as a result.
Shortly after the Civil War began, both sides realized that they were running short on staffing for their hospitals. Usually, “A working woman was an object of pity or scorn in Victorian America.” (USAHEC.org). Women were usually devoting their lives to caring for their husband and children; creating a nice, clean home (The History Channel Website, 2013). If they did nurse, it was only in their homes and for their family members (Egenes, 2009). The Civil War was the first time that women really played an important role in a war effort (The History Channel Website, 2013). When they found out that each side was in need of nurses, women immediately started volunteering to “help the war efforts of their side” (Freemon, 1998). Most of the women focused on helping wounded and sick soldiers (Freemon, 1998). Women of all ages and social classes nursed both Union and...
Until recently, the most basic historiographies of Civil War women were made of three parts. These included Northern women and the lasting consequences of their participation in the Civil War; Southern women, their encouragement or non-encouragement of the Confederate government and military, and their responsibility for the advancement of the Lost Cause; and African American women, whose experiences were a bit difficult to describe for lack of personal accounts.
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.
They took on responsibilities traditionally associated with men. For a time, they were the ones at the heads of families, managing land and businesses. They were the ones using intellect to manage finances and physical strength in both the farm fields and battlefields. At times they weren’t being portrayed as the “weaker sex,” and even when they were, they used it to their advantage to obtain key information needed to win battles. These women were determined and dependable, assisting in countless ways, many even risked their own lives in doing their “patriotic
What does it take to be a true American? This question is something that is always in the back of people’s minds every day as they try to execute the right interpretation of one. Being an American is more than being a legalized citizen, it is about recognizing the accurate perception of different ideas of a better society and their benefits. Despite all the diversity of ethnicity, culture or religion, being a real American is about being able to be devoted to their country and to fight for their rights and freedoms.
In “They Fought like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War,” Blanton and Cook tell the unique stories of women actually fighting in the Civil War. Not only did women fight as soldiers they also died as soldiers. Soldiers and field nurses would find women who fought on both sides of the war. The woman soldiers who had died in battle would be buried separately than the men soldiers.
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 from 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.
Women During the Civil War I want something to do' Write a book,' qouth the author of my being. Don't know enough, sir. First live, then write. Try teaching again, suggested my mother. No thank you, ma'am, ten years of that is enough.
The United States as a country has always been an entity unique amongst the world’s myriad of nations: a conglomeration of cultures, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds from around the planet, all fused together to yield something entirely new. Since its very inception, those who dwell within its borders have attempted to ascertain the makeup of the American identity, in order to pin down how exactly one can come to be considered as an American themselves. This is inherently quite a subjective issue, but the conversation primarily boils down to three core factors that make the American people who they are: a dedication to preserving the natural rights of every human being, a belief in the importance of the individual in deciding their own
Women during the Civil War were forced into life-style changes which they had never dreamed they would have to endure. No one was spared from the devastation of the war, and many lives were changed forever. Women in the south were forced to take on the responsibilities of their husbands, carrying on the daily responsibilities of the farm or plantation. They maintained their homes and families while husbands and sons fought and died for their beliefs. Many women took the advantage of their opinions being heard, and for the first time
To be an American is to be able to leave everything behind and form a new way of life, also a new way to view life. There are two literatures that explain the importance of being an American. Ambush by Tim O’Brien and Why Soldiers Won’t Talk by John Steinbeck. They both have personal experience in war.
“You are in America, speak English.” As a young child hearing these words, it did not only confuse me but it also made me question my belonging in a foreign country. As a child I struggled with my self-image; Not being Hispanic enough because of my physical appearance and not being welcomed enough in the community I have tried so hard to integrate myself with. Being an immigrant with immigrant parents forces you to view life differently. It drives you to work harder or to change the status quo for the preconceived notion someone else created on a mass of people. Coming to America filled me with anxiety, excitement, and even an unexpected wave of fear.