Women's Roles In The Civil War Essay

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Throughout history, gender stereotypes have played a major role in moulding society’s views of people. Traditionally, women have been associated with the “home” and men with the “world”. In many ways, the coming of the American Civil War of 1861-65 challenged the ideology of Victorian domesticity that had defined the lives of men and women in the antebellum era. Women’s role in the society changed drastically as they gained opportunities socially and economically, and took on positions of power and responsibility. The Civil War brought about changes in the women’s lives both during its course and in its aftermath. Inspired by the work of Florence Nightingale and her fellow nurses in the Crimean War, women tried to find a way to work on the front lines, care for sick and injured soldiers and keep the rest of the Union troops healthy and safe. Thus, women overcame adversity with willpower and disguised themselves as men to join the fight, and also served as spies and nurses. Many women took on new roles at home after their husbands, brothers, and fathers responded to the call to arms. Another aspect of life affected by the war was education. Before the conflict, there were mainly men tutors or Yankee governesses and teachers. However, during the war, more women were employed as teachers who were usually from upper class families and…show more content…
During the Reconstruction, a lot of men and women started to overcome difficulties together and with time women achieved equal rights, and men started to recognise women’s new status. The differences, inequalities and the division of labour between men and women, which are often simply treated as consequences of ‘natural’ differences between men and women are nullified. The war forces the belle to shed the false femininity in order to reach her true feminine strength and emphasizes on the vague nature of social constructs and gender

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