Essay On Civil War Women

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Since the beginning of time, women have been seen as the inferior gender when compared to men. Dependent, weak, and fragile stereotypes surrounded women in ancient and somewhat modern times. Generally men in the olden days valued women only for their ability to bear children, paradigms being as diverse as King Henry VIII of the United Kingdom and Catherine of Aragon to Emperor Nero of Rome and Claudia Octavia. However, as time passed, opportunities arose, women proved themselves, and these narrow-minded beliefs started to shift. As men started to fight in the Civil War, American women were given these new opportunities. All different kinds of jobs became available to women during the Civil War. Fathers, sons, and husbands were away, their normal tasks abandoned. Farm women took over slaughtering animals and harvesting crops, while city ladies typically worked in factories making supplies for the war (tents, blankets, uniforms, etc.) all while keeping the children and home taken care of. However, women worked in fields other than strictly physical labor. For example, many women …show more content…

Many contributed to the war, directly and indirectly. For example, the Sanitary Commission (primarily made up of women) fought deadly diseases, fatal injuries, and horrible cooking in army camps. Some women even disguised themselves as men, so they would be allowed in combat. Others acted as spies, a paradigm being Belle Boyd who used her beauty and wit to spy on the Union. However, a good percent of women did their part away from the battlefield by organizing ladies’ aid societies. These organizations gathered food, clothing, medical supplies, and money through fairs, performances, and door-to-door campaigning. Although the Civil War took its toll on men, women, and children, it acted as an opportunity for women to demonstrate they could take care of themselves, their children, their jobs, and, to a certain extent, their

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