Women in the American Civil War Reading Answers

Women in the American Civil War 

During the 19th century in America, according to historians, women were primarily bounded by ascribed roles characterised by discriminatory laws upholding male dominance in several ways. The women’s place in society was referred to as the ‘cult of domesticity.’ Commenting on the position of women during this period historian Barbara Welter calls them the ‘hostage of the home.’ Domestic chores were taught to women from an early age depriving them of education, earning opportunities and freedom. It took major historical events to bring about a change in attitude.

Before the Civil War, women had already begun organised protests against inequality and suppression. Legal rights had been established granting women property ownership, handling finances, and some earning opportunities. But the 19th-century woman was distinctly engulfed in socially ascribed roles, spending most of her time in the confines of her home. Traditional Indian women were the most suppressed. Many black American women were enslaved.

The Civil War of 1861 brought about a sweeping change. To give a background of the Civil War (1861-1865), many historians believe that slavery was the major cause, although the view is debatable. The Confederates and the Union were the two warring factions. Confederates were the states that broke away from the United States of America, believing that slavery was a beneficial institution and should not be abolished. The Union that was strongly against slavery refused to accept the independent existence of the southern states. In the southern states, where slavery was legal, the economy was largely driven by farming activities which used slaves for labor. The North that believed slavery was amoral had industries, and consequently more money, provisions, better transport and the railway. Perceiving the abolishment of slavery under President Lincoln’s leadership, the Confederates attacked the Union soldiers, leading to the Civil War in the spring of 1861.

With the war intensifying, jobs left behind by men who joined the war were rapidly taken over by women. With the war on, women began to enjoy an independence that was foreign to them as it created the opportunity to involve in the functioning of national affairs. Aid societies were organized to supply the Union troops with canned food and clothing. There were women however who were as eager as the men to volunteer to fight for the cause, although women were not permitted to handle arms. A female soldier from the 153rd Regiment, Sarah Rosetta Wakeman who served the New York State Volunteers, discussed her gender and struggles in the course of the war, in a letter she wrote home. ‘I am as independent as a hog on ice.’ For her, in contrast to her strict home, the war was a source of freedom.

Drastically depleting civilian forces after the outbreak of war led more and more women to fill the positions. For the first time in their lives white women, motivated by patriotism, poverty and a sense of vocation, found that they were not only working outside of the domestic scene but also earning money. It was noted in 1866 by the author of ‘Women of the War,’ Frank Moore, ‘Other wars have furnished here and there a name, which the world delights to repeat in terms of affection or admiration, of some woman who has broken through the rigidity of custom…but our war has furnished hundreds.’ Founder of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton who was one of the most famous nurses of the time and was nicknamed ‘Angel of the Battlefield,’ said that the war caused fifty years in advance of the normal position of women. The motives and mental state of these women may be interpreted differently by historians, but it cannot be denied that their service gave support to the women’s rights movement.

With the intensifying shortage of labour in the south, even black women, free or enslaved, were able to find opportunities to earn their living. Contributing to the Union cause, however, was not permitted to women slaves. To begin with, they had never had the luxury of ‘true womanhood.’ A historian asserts that being a woman never saved a single female slave from hard labour, beatings, physical abuse, family separation and death. While it is true that the civil war allowed a modicum of freedom, it also added to their troubles. Male slaves were valuable and the slave owners fleeing from Union troops took them along but left the women and children behind.

One of the most significant contributions made by Confederate women to the war effort was medical work. In the antebellum period, women were not known to operate as nurses outside of their homes. But lack of human resources and the proximity of the women to battlefields increased their involvement as healers. Thousands of white and black women offered their services to nurse, cook, sew, clean and do laundry for the wartime hospitals, though the exact number of volunteering women is not known. However, there were so many women eager to volunteer that according to the book, ‘Women in the Civil War,’ ‘The press soon dubbed them the ‘Florence Nightingales,’ of the Union or the Confederacy. This unexpected development was significant not only because of the huge numbers but also because it represented a radical departure from American tradition.’ The name was well-earned as the civil nurses not only got a close view of gruesome wounds and dressed and cleaned soldiers but also assisted surgeons in amputations.

After the end of the war, freedom created a new harmony not only between races but also between genders, redefining society. Diarist Lucy Buck from Front Royal puts it succinctly when she says, ‘We shall never any of us be the same as we have been.

Questions 14-18
Look at the following statements (Questions 14-18) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person.
Choose the correct answer from the list.

14. Women have come out from the conventional setup and won recognition in the course of wars. 
15. The Civil War has transformed society and its people. 
16. Women of 19th Century America faced imposed domestication. 
17. The war was responsible for the rapid emergence of the redefined progressive status of American women. 
18. The battlefield gives a sense of freedom, not the home. 

People list 

Frank Moore
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman
Clara Barton
Lucy BuckBarbara Welter

Questions 19-23
Choose YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer of the passage, choose NO  if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, or choose NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.

19. The position of women before the war was predefined. 
20. Women of the 1800s realised the importance of education to earn a livelihood and independence. 
21. The Civil War initiated movements against gender discrimination. 
22. There is little doubt about the major cause of the Civil War. 
23. Historians have agreeable views on factors influencing the women’s role in the Civil War. 

Questions 24-26
Answer the questions. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage in each gap.

24. What was the source of income in the Confederate states? 
25. What was lacking in the southern states in the war years? 
26. Who gave the female medical volunteers a special name? 

Answers for Women in the American Civil War 

14. Answer: Frank Moore

Explanation: Paragraph 5: It was noted in 1866 by the author of "Women of the War Frank Moore, Other wars have furnished here and there a name, which the world delights to repeat in terms of affection or admiration of some woman who has broken through the rigidity of custom....but our war has furnished hundred.

15. Answer: Lucy Buck

Explanation: Paragraph 8: After the end of the war, freedom created a new harmony not only between races but also between genders, redefining society. Diarist Lucy Buck from Front Royal puts it succinctly when she says, We shall never any of us be the same as we have been!

16. Answer: Barbara Welter

Explanation: Paragraph 1: The women's place in society was referred to as the 'cult of domesticity Commenting on the position of women during this period historian Barbara Welter calls them the hostage of the home Domestic chores were taught to women from an early age...

17. Answer: Clara Barton

Explanation: Paragraph 5: Clara Barton who was one of the most famous nurses of the time and was nicknamed Angel of the Battlefield,' said that the war caused fifty years in advance of the normal position of women.

18. Answer:  Sarah Rosetta Wakeman keman

Explanation: Paragraph 4: Sarah Rosetta Wakeman who served the New York State Volunteers in a letter she wrote home I am as independent as a hog on ice' For her, in contrast to her strict home, the war was a source of freedom

Questions 19-23

Choose YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer of the passage, choose NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, or choose NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

19. Answer: YES

Explanation: Paragraph 1: During the 19th century in America, according to historians, women were primarily bounded by ascribed roles characterised by discriminatory laws upholding male dominance in several ways

20. Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: Paragraph 1 states that women of the 19th century were denied education, freedom and earning opportunities but nothing is mentioned about their views regarding these aspects.

21. Answer: NO

Explanation: Paragraph 2 Before the Civil War, women had already begun suppression

22. Answer:  NO

Explanation: Paragraph 3: To give a background of the Civil War (1861-1865), many historians believe that slavery was the major cause, although the view is debatable.

23. Answer: NO

Explanation: Paragraph 5: The motives and mental state of these women may be interpreted differently by historians, but it cannot be denied that their service gave support to the women's rights movement.

Questions 24-26

Answer the questions. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage in each gap.

24. Answer:  farming

Explanation: Paragraph 3: Confederates were the states that broke away from the United States of America, believing that slavery was a beneficial institution and should not be abolished. The Union that was strongly against slavery refused to accept the independent existence of the southern states in the southern states where slavery was legal, the economy was largely driven by farming activities

25. Answer: labor (or) labour

Explanation: Paragraph 6 With the intensifying shortage of labour in the south 

26. Answer: Press

Explanation: Paragraph 7: Thousands of white and black women offered their services to nurse, cook, sew, clean and do laundry for the wartime hospitals,... However, there were so many women eager to volunteer that according to the book, Women in the Civil War. The press soon dubbed them the Florence Nightingales of the Union or the Confederacy.