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The lives of women changed dramatically during the American Civil War. They played important roles both at home and on the battlefield.
On the home front, women, both from the Union and the Confederacy, had to manage their homes since their husbands and sons had gone to war. They ran the farms or businesses that their husbands had left behind. Many women took on jobs that had traditionally been men's jobs before the war. For example, they worked in factories producing goods for the armies, or worked in government positions. They also raised money for the war effort.
On the battlefield, women helped the soldiers by sewing their uniforms, repairing their shoes, washing their clothes and cooking for them.
Some women served as nurses in the army. They fed the wounded soldiers, kept their bandages clean, and assisted doctors.
Other women worked as spies. They were typically women who lived or worked on one side, but secretly supported the other side. They included slave women in the South who passed on troop movements and information to the North.
Although women were not allowed to fight as soldiers, many women still managed to join the army and fight. They did this by cutting their hair short and disguising themselves as men. It is estimated that over 400 women fought in the war. If a woman was discovered, she was usually just sent home without being punished.
All the roles women played during the Civil War contributed to the development of the women's rights movement in the United States.
