Women's lives were transformed by the Civil War. In the years before the war, women were mainly housewives. New paths opened up for women as men left their jobs 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 filled by men. Women proved capable of doing much more than was socially acceptable for them at the time, which helped pave the way for change. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayDr. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to become a doctor in the United States. She didn't give up even though countless medical schools rejected her applications. Her perseverance paid off and she was eventually accepted into a medical school in New York, even though her acceptance letter was intended as a joke. Her male peers harassed her, her professors forced her to sit separately from men, and she was often excluded from labs. She went on to become the top of her class and the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States, earning the respect of her classmates and professors. After graduating she struggled to find her place in the medical field, as women doctors were not allowed to practice in hospitals and were often assigned to midwives or nurses. During training he observed that male doctors spread infections and diseases from patient to patient when they didn't wash their hands. Taking time to build her private practice, she eventually opened the New York Women's and Children's Infirmary. Her sister and a friend also became doctors, joined the practice and made sure 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 as she had extensive knowledge of hygiene and preventative care. She and her sister helped train nurses who chose to work for the union. After the war, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell even opened her own medical school for women in New York City. Nursing, which was a male profession, was taken over by women who volunteered their time and efforts for the men fighting in the war. Thousands of women stepped up to serve as nurses in hospitals across the country. The treatment provided to sick and wounded soldiers saved countless lives. They wanted to find a way to work on the front lines and care for sick and wounded soldiers. The federal government created the United States Health Commission to help prevent disease and infection. They would improve hygiene and food quality in military camps and hospitals. Women's rights activists helped raise approximately fifteen million dollars over the four years of the war for supplies sent to the Union Army through the United States Sanitary Commission. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Customize EssayTo summarize, before the Civil War women, for the most part, did not receive an education and were limited to housework. 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 deemed incompetent. Only a small percentage of women were teachers. Women began to ask for more.