Introduction
The American Civil War was the U.S. defining event. The war is one of the most remarkable events in the history of America, and it lasted from 1861 to 1865. As such, even though it mostly associated with slavery abolition, however, the war significantly impacted the American society too. Women specifically were significantly affected by the civil war in almost every possible manner because of the roles they played during the war either directly or indirectly. On this background, this paper focuses to discuss the impact of the American Civil War on American women, both the northern and southern women. Then finally, the article will conclude with a paragraph.
The Impact of American Civil War on American Women
The civil war in America impacted the American women in many ways. First, according to Lowe, the war changed the occupations of women in America as women could perform roles/occupations that they could not do previously. 1 Before the beginning of the civil war, American women lives were constructed by moral beliefs set which propelled women to live under patriarchal deals and husband protection. Their main work was to focus on the households, devoting their lives to manage the children, sew, and cook meals for their families. 2
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
However, the civil war brought a shift in gender roles and occupations of women, a lasting effect that has remained until today. For instance, women from both south and North served as nurses and doctors to help injured soldiers. Some disguised themselves as men to join the fight, while others acted as spies to provide beneficial information to the confederate about their enemies. 3 Additionally, some women in the North got jobs in war-related industries while others took positions of men in the offices of federal government. Besides, others took the role of key breadwinners in their families when their husbands left, and the enslaved women started the transition to freedom. 4 All these roles changed the position and role of women in the society as women could now partake in different occupations after the war unlike the previous period before the war.
Second, another critical impact Civil war had on American women is the dawn of liberation as it paved the eventual liberation’s way. 5 By being compelled to take part in the roles and occupation of men during the war, women learned how to be independent and how to cater for themselves and their families. As a result, women started to rally for suffrage and political inclusions, which permanently altered the pre-conceived notion Americans had concerning gender roles. For instance, the book “Mothers of Invention” was written by Drew Gilpin Faust who was the Harvard president and one of the most famous female historians, details about how the war caused women from the South to reevaluate their roles both in the family and society in overall. 6
Additionally, the Civil War of America also changed the patterns of marriage among American women. During the days of pre-Civil War, marriage was hugely significant to women. However, due to the high death toll of males during the war, women started fearing that they may not get married. While others succumbed to spinsterhood, some decided to forgo marriage opting for different opportunities like higher education or paid labor. 7
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is evident that American Civil War brought many significant impacts to the American women because it changed the inferiority of women regarding their place and roles they perform both in the families and society. As a result, it brought the fight for equal rights of both men and women as both of them are equal human beings, an important aspect of the today’s society even beyond America. Therefore, it can be deduced that it is because of the Civil War that women are who they are in the community today.
Bibliography
Hall, Richard. Women on the Civil War Battlefront . University Press of Kansas, 2006.
Lowe, Kayla. “The Civil War’s Impact on Women.” Classroom . 2001. Web. 13 June. 2018. <https://classroom.synonym.com/civil-war-impact-women-6401147.html
Pitcaithley, Dwight T. "The American Civil War and the preservation of memory." CRM-WASHINGTON- 25.4 (2002): 5-9.
1 Lowe, Kayla. “The Civil War’s Impact on Women.” Classroom . 2001. Web. 13 June. 2018. <https://classroom.synonym.com/civil-war-impact-women-6401147.html
2 Hall, Richard. Women on the Civil War Battlefront . University Press of Kansas, 2006.
3 Hall, Richard. Women on the Civil War Battlefront . University Press of Kansas, 2006.
4 Lowe, Kayla. “The Civil War’s Impact on Women.” Classroom . 2001. Web. 13 June. 2018. <https://classroom.synonym.com/civil-war-impact-women-6401147.html
5 Lowe, Kayla. “The Civil War’s Impact on Women.” Classroom . 2001. Ibid.
6 Pitcaithley, Dwight T. "The American Civil War and the preservation of memory." CRM-WASHINGTON- 25.4 (2002): 5-9.
7 Lowe, Kayla. “The Civil War’s Impact on Women.” Classroom . 2001. Web. 13 June. 2018. <https://classroom.synonym.com/civil-war-impact-women-6401147.html
