Date of Award
5-23-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
Linda Van Ingen
Committee Members
Carol Lilly; James Rohrer; Linda Van Ingen
Keywords
American Civil War (1861-1865)
Abstract
The American Civil War is one of the most researched eras in history, but that does not mean that research will ever be complete. Historians are always discovering aspects of the war that had been largely ignored. One emerging topic has been the lives of young women and their experiences during the conflict. James MacPherson has analyzed several aspects of the war, including why its history is still relevant today. Amy Murrell Taylor and James Marten have both researched family life and children’s experiences during the war. Other historians like Drew Gilpin Faust, Giselle Roberts, and Victoria Ott have focused on the lives of southern women during the war, but they all largely focus on the women from the more affluent families. Previous research on young white women in the South has been fragmented, detailing pieces of their story, making it appear as if they all shared the same experiences, but they did not. Young women’s experiences varied in terms of their economic backgrounds, parentage, political beliefs, and geographical locations. At war’s end, most would gain a sense of independence and confidence in the abilities and skills they were forced to learn during the war. By utilizing journals written by young women who experienced the trials of war as well as newspapers, this research dives into the various experiences of young southern women and how those experiences impacted the rest of their lives. This research will hopefully inspire greater research into a time full of inspiring stories as well as be a reminder that not everyone experiences an event in the same manner. Even though they all lived in the American South, young women’s experiences before, during, and after the war made them each unique and a testament to finding the light in a time of darkness.
Recommended Citation
Wroot, Kylie, "Coming of Age in a Time of Darkness: Young Southern White Women During the American Civil War" (2025). History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity. 54.
https://openspaces.unk.edu/hist-etd/54