Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell: Women During The Civil War

Women’s lives were transformed by the Civil War. In the years leading up to the war, women were primarily homemakers. New paths opened up for women as men left their occupations by the thousands to fight in the war. Out of necessity and a desire to help, women stepped into those vacant jobs. During the Civil War, women filled many roles including some that had previously been occupied by men. Women proved themselves capable of much more than was socially acceptable for them at the time which helped pave the way for change.

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to become a medical doctor in the United States. She did not give up even though countless medical schools rejected her applications. Her perseverance paid off and she was finally accepted to a medical college in New York, although her acceptance letter was meant as a joke. Her male peers harassed her, her professors forced her to sit separate from the men, and she was often left out of labs. She pushed on to become top in her class and the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States, gaining the respect of her classmates and professors. After graduating she struggled to find her place in the medical field, as female physicians were not permitted to practice in hospitals and often consigned to midwifery or nursing. While training she observed that male doctors spread infection and disease from patient to patient when they did not wash their hands. Taking time to build her private practice, she eventually opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. Her sister and a female friend also became doctors, joined the practice and ensured that female doctors had a place there. During the Civil War, she helped form the Women’s Central Association for Relief, and the United States Sanitary Commission since she had extensive knowledge of hygiene and preventative care. She and her sister helped train nurses they chose to work for the Union. After the war, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell even went on to open her own medical school for women in New York City.

Nursing, which was a male profession, became filled by women volunteering their time and efforts for the men fighting in the war. Thousands of women stepped in to serve as nurses in hospitals across the country. The treatment they provided to sick and wounded soldiers saved countless lives. They wanted to find a way to work on the front lines and care for the sick and wounded soldiers. The federal government created the United States Sanitary Commission to help prevent disease and infections. They would improve hygiene and the quality of the food in army camps and hospitals. Women’s rights activists helped raise about fifteen million dollars in the four years of war for supplies sent to the Union Army through the U.S. Sanitary Commission.

To summarize, before the Civil War women, for the most part, were not provided with an education and they were limited to domestic duties. It was thought to be improper for women to have anything to do with business. Many professions were not available to them because they were thought to be incapable. Only a small percentage of women were teachers. Women began to ask for more in the way of occupations outside of the home. This led to the women’s rights movement, which was started by women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who also fought for abolition and human rights. When fighting for equal rights for one group then it follows that there should be equal rights for all. Women’s rights activists wanted to help the Union win the war so they could see the end to slavery. The women’s suffrage movement was put on hold during the war, but the foundations were laid for a strong movement after the war. The Civil war ultimately generated significant social changes, helped to change women’s place in society, and loosened traditional ideas on proper female pursuits all while shattering the chains of slavery.