Christian Perrin Professor Foster U.S. history to 1877 Mar 9, 2023 Effects women and African Americans had in the Civil War While the Civil War was dominated by white men they were not the only ones who played a part in The Civil War. Women and African Americans also participated in the war effort on both sides. From the women who watched over their husband’s farms to the African Americans that partook in deadly battles, they both played a large role in influencing both sides of The Civil War. The women of The Civil War were left by their husbands that went to war to watch over the land, raise the children, and take care of the house, but the women did more than just stay at home. Most prominently they inspected military camps with the goal of improving cleanliness and reducing the number of soldiers who died from disease(Corbett 393). With disease claiming the most casualties in the war their ability to come into camps and help treat disease saved thousands of lives. Women did not stop there. They raised money, got jobs, took care of …show more content…
At first all the African Americans of both sides could do was watch and wait as the Union and the Confederacy fought, but when Abrahm Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and congress passed the act that let people of color enlist they got their chance. At first there were not many enlisters, but with endorsements from Frederick Fouglas and the promise of citizenship enlistment picked up. “By the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men (10% of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army.”(Black Soldiers in the U.S.). Free African Americans were not the only ones to make a difference in the outcome of the way. Enslaved African Americans started riots from within the south and caused a raucous from within the Confederate States. Both played a great part in securing freedom for
America two years into the Civil War, battles going back and forth and many causalities to go along with it. In the beginning of the Civil War northerners refused black volunteers soldiers in battle. As the causalities rose it pressured to allow the black men to partake in the war. Once Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 black men started to get recruited to join the Union army. Frederick Douglass called out in harsh detail why black Americans should enlist in the army.
Without women during the war, times would have been difficult. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton dealt with women's rights during the war. The sanitary commission took care of families and raised money while men were at war. Woman on the home front grew crops to keep the U.S. from starving during the war.
Many women made direct contributions to the American Civil War efforts as nurses, spies, government employees, factory workers, and members of aid societies. Women’s responsibilities during the Civil War increased enormously. Women also contributed to the war effort, collecting supplies for the troops and working as nurses, spies, and scouts. White Georgia women took an active and educated part in the movement to separate the South from the North. Some formed aid societies, which were groups that raised money and collected food, clothing, medicine, and other supplies for the troops or for wounded soldiers and their families.
Not all were allowed to fight but many were and in huge numbers. They helped advance the war effort by fighting in many operations. Some notable battles were the Battle of the Bulge and the attack on Pearl Harbor. African Americans did whatever they could to go out the enemy in battle. African Americans as a whole were also affected by the war.
Many african american had to fight for their right to defend their country and to receive fair and equal treatment in the military. The legacy of their courageous struggles and their service helped the united states to realize its highest ideal of freedom. the civil war,they had the worst jobs and the worst weapons. They also did not having the right to vote or to have an education, according to the article “ civil war black soldiers” the confederate declared that all african american fighting for the union should be treated as rebels and slaves and they would be put to death if they were caught by a confederate.
Despite facing challenges, African Americans demonstrated bravery, patriotism, and dedication to the country. They made remarkable contributions to the war
Playing a major role, “Civil War nurses cleaned and bandaged wounds, fed soldiers, dispensed medication and assisted surgeons during operations and medical procedures like amputations” (Brooks). Wounded soldiers relied on the nurses, hoping that they would do whatever they can to get them back on the battlefield. Women who worked as, “Army nurses traveled from hospital to hospital, providing humane and efficient care for wounded, sick and dying soldiers” (“history.org staff”). Women helped the soldiers out a lot during the war caring for them when wounded or sick. Without women being Nurses, the soldiers would not be getting as much helped as they needed.
During the war there was multiple types of jobs for a women and roles that a women had to play. Women were soldiers, nurses, spies, abolitionist, promoters, etc anything that help benefit the war. Women is never really seen as a big part of history due to the fact that women was always get ran over by men and family members because of their gender and what they was seen for. There was some women out there who thought of their self as more to be and tried to do more than what they can. It was easy for a women to cover their self because there were often too many people in the war to be caught but if they were they will have to face consequences such as Women in the 1800's were just finding out their purpose in life and was just noticing that
During the Second World War, the United States experienced considerable domestic change to women in the nation's industriousness and the role the federal government played in racial wedges. Domestically, the war brought about sweeping changes to American life that would have long-term effects. Although African American relations improved crucially, they continued to face hardships which inevitably advanced to Japanese- Americans as well because of the racial tension provided by the war with Japan. During this war as the men fought, the women gained more control overall in nation affairs but also the country’s production; rapidly advancing how much was made but tipping the balance of who could use such advancements. Women played a crucial
African Americans had an extremely pivotal role in the outcome and consequences of the Civil War. This group of people were enslaved, and forced to work in horrible conditions, for the whole day, without pay. Slaves were one of the main causes of the Civil War. The issue of Slavery, which resulted in the eventual economic and social division between the North and South, caused the creation of the Confederate States. African Americans did not only unintentionally cause the war, but they also effected the outcome of the war, and the eventual consequences the nation would face after the war.
The role of the African American men In the civil war was to be cooks, engineers , mutations makers , sailors , teamsters , construction workers , and others keep the uniforms that fought in the war clean. Although people still wanted cotton and some slaves was in war the slave owners did not put there life on hold. Many people asked why use black slaves ? The south were the only ones using slaves at the time , but remember the north was against slavery so thee south just used slaves because they
Post Civil War, African Americans started to gain rights to gain rights, and soon gain rights equal to whites. While there were some people/things standing in their way (KKK, Black Codes), in the end they got what they needed; Equality. Many acts and laws were passed to aid the new rights now held by African Americans, as well as the numerous people willing to help. New Amendments were added to give African Americans rights after the war, all giving them some equal rights to whites. The first of the three added was the Thirteenth Amendment, it gave African Americans freedom from slave owners, and stated that no one could be kept as a slave in the U.S..
The African Americans had a big impact on the Civil War. They had to have all of these laws and papers wrote because of the slavery deal. They had the role of the debate for slavery. They were the slaves and they wanted to have their freedom. The Declaration of Independence said that, “All men are created equal”, but the slaves were not free.
While researching about women during the war I found that many women saw the war as an opportunity to gain more rights and respect in the United States. Since most of the men were away fighting in the war, women had to pick up on everything that they couldn’t do at home, taking over their jobs in not only agriculture but also manufacturing. Some women even served as medical help in the war, which was a huge step up for women. One source I
In the years of the Civil War, African Americans played an important role in contributing to the Union Army and the confederate army. A great deal of African American men volunteered to join the Union Army but only after they gained freedom did they participate in fighting the war. Besides the Union Army, there was the confederate army which consisted of slave labor whom were forced to aid the confederacy following their masters. Later in the war, the Confederacy ran short on men and were in need to supply soldiers, leaving no choice but to enlist the colored men. Not only were African American men impacted from the war, but African American women also served to supply and aid in the war.