The Roles Of Northern Women During The American Civil War

The American Civil War occupies an extremely important position in Americanhistory. The study of American Civil War has always been the focus of Americanhistorical study. However, most of the researches are male-dominated. Therefore,studies on American women during the Civil War period are very limited, and most ofthem failed to distinguish between Northern and Southern women. Northern womenwere more progressive and revolutionary than their Southern counterparts as theywere fighting to preserve the country and to abolish slavery.Based on the collation and analysis of secondary data on the history ofAmerican women, the American Civil War, and American women in the Civil War,this thesis discusses different roles Northern women played throughout the duration ofthe Civil War. Some of these women devoted to the Federal war effort by playingroles as soldiers, nurses and spies on the battlefield. Meanwhile, most women madesacrifice and contributions through encouraging military support, taking householdtasks and taking outside jobs off the battlefield. By exploring the roles of AmericanNorthern women on and off the Civil War battlefield, the author argues that theimpacts between the American Civil War and Northern women are interrelated. Onone hand, Northern women were of great significance to the Civil War. On the otherhand, while bringing misery, the Civil War generated profound impact on AmericanNorthern women. The war not only fostered their self-awareness, but also improvedtheir social status.Hopefully, the study of Northern women in the American Civil War willprovide a better understanding of the two-way impact between American Civil Warand Northern women as well as a comprehensive understanding of the Civil War, soas to offer a new horizon for the study of both the Civil War and Northern women.