Born on December 25th, 1821 in North Oxford, Massachusetts, Clarissa “Clara” Harlowe Barton made a great impact on the lives of many. She was a volunteer teacher, worked for the U.S. Patent Office, and was the driving force behind the American Red Cross. Clara Barton accomplished many great things, but most of her efforts focused mainly on the members of the United States Military, because she wanted to help them stay healthy and serve the country.
When Barton was younger, she excelled in school. Her best subjects were reading and writing. She was well educated and her family members helped her to develop better social skills. She liked to help her family do things around the house, because she liked to feel helpful and have something to do. When she was eleven, Clara’s older brother became ill. She watched over him and nursed him back to health. Her brother’s illness was in some ways
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beneficial to her, because it sparked her passion for helping others and taught her many skills to aid her in her future. When she was sixteen, Barton became a teacher in Massachusetts, and later moved to New Jersey and founded the first free public school in the state. Clara eventually resigned from teaching and made her way down to Washington, D.C. where she became the first woman clerk to work in the U.S. Patent Office. In 1857, she was discharged, so she relocated to the New England region once again. At this point in Clara’s life, the Civil War was just starting. Most of Clara Barton’s achievements were related to the Civil War. Barton did much work to venture to different battlefields and tend to wounded soldiers. She brought supplies such as clothing and food to help support the soldiers. She had learned much of the needed skills from fostering her brother back to health when she was younger. Barton also helped to identify soldiers that they could not name by starting the Bureau of Records in Washington, tracing about 22,000 names. In 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War, the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was attacked while marching down to Washington. Barton was anxious to help in any way possible. The wounded soldiers had to be on the next train, so Clara and a few other women went with them on the train and tended to their injuries. This was the first encounter that Barton had with the casualties of the war. This encounter intrigued her to help as many soldiers as possible. Later, after the Battle of Bull Run, Clara Barton “established an agency to obtain and distribute supplies to wounded soldiers.” Barton felt she was needed to help the soldiers, some who were injured, hungry, or without necessary supplies. She acquired some of these supplies herself, or she asked for some donations from the public. Barton also supplied hope and inspiration. She kept the men’s spirits high by reading for them, writing to them, listening to them, and praying with them. She felt that she was more needed on the battlefield, rather than in Washington. She asked government leaders if she could help by actually going on the battlefield, and eventually got permission. The Battle of Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles in American history. Clara Barton brought much-needed supplies to the soldiers. She helped care for many people, like with every battle. At this battle, however, her help was much more needed. The soldiers did not have enough supplies, and some of them were even dressing wounds with corn husks. Barton also brought food and water to keep the soldiers nourished. Barton did not just help the Union soldiers either. She helped any soldier that was injured and thought they should all get the treatment they need. Her brother was in the Confederacy, so as she helped at southern battles, she was hoping to see her brother alive and well. In 1869, Barton was developing health problems, and travelled to Switzerland to take a well-needed break. While in Switzerland, the Franco-Prussian war started, and Barton volunteered to help the International Red Cross with caring for the injured soldiers, as she did with the American Civil War. In 1882, Clara was back in America and went to the government with the Geneva Treaty. Chester Arthur signed off on the Geneva Treaty, and the Senate ratified it, starting the American Red Cross. “The American Red Cross, with Barton at its head, was largely devoted to disaster relief for the first 20 years of its existence.” They helped to gather supplies to give to victims of different catastrophes such as forest fires, floods, the Russian famine, etc. They also helped with war relief. Clara Barton then proposed that the American Red Cross also be open to all natural disasters. This was a very successful program and helped many in need and is still a very well known, successful program today. The Red Cross helps all different people in all different situations, just as Clara Barton envisioned it when she started the program. Two of the main emergencies that the Red Cross helped with were the yellow fever epidemic and the Russian Famine. The yellow fever outbreak took place in Jacksonville, Florida in September 1888. “Miss Barton visited affected areas and coordinated relief with the Howard Association. Red Cross nurses immune to the disease were provided by the New Orleans chapter.” Also, there was unexpected decline of crops in Russia in early 1889. The lack of crops spread for an approximate area of a million square miles. There was even another crop failure in 1890. The American Red Cross sent donations to Russia. “She [America] would even send her ships for any food that might be offered.” The Red Cross also helped with the horrendous Johnstown flood in Pennsylvania.
In May 1889, the Potomac River flooded and there was about two feet of water flooding the streets. A few members left Washington to go to Johnstown to help the survivors of the flood. They gave food and temporary shelter to those in need. When the members arrived, there was rubble in piles between twenty and thirty feet high. Many died and many were without food. Clara wrote, “…but if ever a people needed help it was these.” This quote shows the intensity and need of the situation. There was essentially a never ending stream of rain for weeks on end. The victims were getting supplies from many organizations, which was a tremendous help. This was another situation where Barton decided to aid many people who were in need. There were many other examples of times that Clara and other members of the Red Cross helped victims of natural disasters and wars. Some of these times include the Michigan forest fires, the Ohio River flood, the Texas famine, the Mount Vernon cyclone, and The Spanish-American
War. Although she led the Red Cross, Barton had other interests and hobbies. Some of these interests include “education, prison reform, women’s suffrage, civil rights, and even spiritualism.” She worked most of the day, rising early and staying up late into the night. Barton also had a talent for writing. She wrote almost every day and was also an excellent speaker. Although she had many skills and was highly qualified, she was chastised for her management, age, and capabilities. These criticisms caused her to resign from the American Red Cross in 1904. In April 1905, Barton instituted the National First Aid Association of America and was president for 5 years. The program taught basic first aid, what to do in case of an emergency, and made first aid kits. Barton has obtained the nick name of “the angel of the battlefield” for her generosity and caring when it came to the soldiers. She was a major aid when it came to the Civil War and natural disasters. Clara Barton was selected to be superintendent of the Massachusetts Reformatory Prison for Women. She accepted the position but resigned after eight months. Barton also went to Europe as a U.S. delegate to the International Conference of the Red Cross at Geneva, Switzerland. Clara Barton passed away on April 12th, 1912 at her home in Glen Echo, Maryland. She died at the age of 90. “Barton’s family donated her papers and awards, along with numerous mementoes, to the Library of Congress.” Glen Echo is now a national historic site for Clara Barton. Clara helped so many people and nursed them back to health despite not having any medical training. She was a significant contributor to the health of many that suffered from natural disasters, war, and everyday illnesses. She even founded the Red Cross of America without any training in that field. Barton suffered from some illnesses herself, but she always found everyone else to be priority. She lived a long and memorable life and impacted the lives of so many others. She is truly an “angel of the battlefield” and did so much more than anyone, including herself, ever thought she could.
Margaret Cochran Corbin (1751-c.1800) fought alongside her husband in the American Revolutionary War and was the first woman to receive pension from the United States government as a disabled soldier. She was born Nov. 12, 1751 near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., orphaned at the age of five and was raised by relatives. When she was twenty-one she married John Corbin. John joined the Continental Army when the American Revolution started four years later and Margaret accompanied her husband. Wives of the soldiers often cooked for the men, washed their laundry and nursed wounded soldiers. They also watched the men do their drills and, no doubt, learned those drills, too.
...ter the American Revolution, was one of the most serious bad economic days, and in order to help her family’s money, Deborah became the first female lecturer. She went to places like Providence, Rhode Island, New York, and many cities as the title of “The American Heroine.” She began her lectures dressed as a woman and then later went into her uniform and showed a soldier’s routine to fight. Then she did that for about 5 years then she got a job as a teacher again. Sampson was a teacher until she retired then she got even more sick because of her injures she sustained during war she had to get pills and go to doctors to get better. With the success of her tour Deborah refreshed her campaign she also gained the support of Paul Revere, he went to her farm in 1804 then he wrote a letter to the Congress.
According to the article The Joplin Tornado: The Evil Swirling Darkness it states,”Instead, they speak of the power of their faith, the strength of their community, and the generosity of the thousands of people from around the country who came to help heal their wounded city.” This is saying that they were happy that people came and helped them to persevere and rebuild their town. A Storm Chaser’s First Hand Account on the Joplin Tornado explains,“I'm watching a pick-up truck loaded with supplies and ladders--it's a local grassroots effort. That's what America's about. People helping people. That's what we're seeing here. It's not people waiting for government aid, even though there's going to be lots of people that need it. We've just got grassroots efforts of people pouring in and helping.” This shows that the people were helping those in need, and that they weren’t waiting for the government to come and help them rebuild they did it on their own. Finally Jeff Piotrowski says,”The way we got people out was that the people that came in there, they started picking up their family members and loading them into trucks and driving them to the only hospital left in Joplin. That's how we got people out of here.” He is telling us that family members and other people help each other, and help to bring back the people from their
During the mid-1800s, separation in America between the North and the South became prevalent, especially over the idea of slavery, which eventually led to the Civil War. Women did not have much power during this time period, but under the stress and shortages of the War, they became necessary to help in fighting on and off the battlefields, such as by becoming nurses, spies, soldiers, and abolitionists (Brown). Many women gave so much assistance and guidance, that they made lasting impacts on the War in favor of who they were fighting for. Three inspiring and determined women who made huge impacts on contributing to the American Civil War are Rose O’Neal Greenhow, who worked as a spy for the Confederacy leading to multiple victories, Clara Barton, who worked as a nurse, a soldier, and formed the American Red Cross to continue saving lives, and Harriet Tubman, who conducted the Underground Railroad sending slaves to freedom, which enabled them and their actions to be remembered forever (Brown).
Born on December 25, 1921, Clara grew up in a family of four children, all at least 11 years older than her (Pryor, 3). Clara’s childhood was more of one that had several babysitters than siblings, each taking part of her education. Clara excelled at the academic part of life, but was very timid among strangers. School was not a particularly happy point in her life, being unable to fit in with her rambunctious classmates after having such a quiet childhood. The idea of being a burden to the family was in Clara’s head and felt that the way to win the affection of her family was to do extremely well in her classes to find the love that she felt was needed to be earned. She was extremely proud of the positive attention that her achievement of an academic scholarship (Pryor, 12). This praise for her accomplishment in the field of academics enriched her “taste for masculine accomplishments”. Her mother however, began to take notice of this and began to teach her to “be more feminine” by cooking dinners and building fires (Pryor, 15). The 1830’s was a time when the women of the United States really began to take a stand for the rights that they deserved (Duiker, 552). Growing up in the mist of this most likely helped Barton become the woman she turned out to be.
From childhood to death Clara Barton dedicated her life to helping others. She is most notably remembered for her work as a nurse on the battlefield during the Civil War and for the creation of the American Red Cross. Barton was also an advocate for human rights. Equal rights for all men, women, black and white. She worked on the American equal Rights Association and formed relations with civil rights leaders such as Anna Dickensen and Fredric Douglass. Her undeterred determination and selflessness is undoughtably what made her one of the most noteworthy nurses in American history.
Clara Barton was born during 1821 in Massachusetts. As a young child, Barton learned a great deal of schooling from her older siblings; she learned a wide variety of different subjects. She seized every educational opportunity that she was given and she worked hard to receive a well rounded-education. Clara Barton would later use her education to create her own school and eventually help start an organization that is still used today. As a young child, Clara was extremely shy; nevertheless, after many years she was able to overcome this. Even as a young child Clara thrived helping others. She tended to her sick brother who was severely injured by a roofing accident on a regular basis. The skills she learned from helping her brother proved to be used again when she was on the front-line of the Civil War helping wounded soldiers.
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” (Joseph Campbell). Clara Barton could be regarded as a hero because she went into several military battles during the civil war with a strong mindset to help the soldiers who were wounded and to provide supplies that were needed but scarce17.She was a woman of many talents who accomplished a lot but became best known for the founding of the Red Cross in America. Her humanitarian contributions and compassionate personality allowed her to connect with many people. As inspiring as Clara Barton was, she wasn’t born a hero but became one with the influence of her younger years. Clara Barton’s family life and personal struggles when she was younger, ultimately shaped
One of Harriet Tubman’s important achievement was being a nurse in the civil war.In document D it States how she would help heal sick solider during the war.These soliders were survivors of the 54th Massachusetts volunteers. She would bathe the wounds of the hurt soldiers.During this time she never
Almost all Americans have learned about the iconic people in American history including George Washington, Thomas Edison, and Abraham Lincoln. Although all of them deserve their recognition, they aren’t the only ones who have changed history. Many Americans, not just a select few, changed history and created the America we know today. One in particular is Clarissa Harlowe Barton, who went by the name of Clara. At the time Clara lived, women were still considered inferior to men. Throughout her work, she faced much sexism, but she worked past it and created a legacy for herself. Also occurring during her life was the Civil War, which she was a very helpful part of. Clara’s most well known achievement is her founding of the American Red Cross. In addition to that, Clara also established the nation’s first free public school in Bordentown, New Jersey, worked as a field nurse during the Civil War, and supported the movement for women’s suffrage. Barton has received little recognition for her efforts, but the work she did is still being continued today at the American Red Cross where they give relief to the victims 70,000 every year. By understanding her life and the work she did, people are able to realize the impact she had on the world, for it far exceeds that of which she is recognized with.
In 1880 the American Red Cross was established, Barton served as the organisations first president until 1904 but still continuing as a volunteer in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. The American Red Cross, with Barton at its head, was largely devoted to disaster relief for the first 20 years of its existence.
The survivors had no home, clothes, food, and most of all, they lost their loved ones, relatives, and friends. The government helped the survivors, sending the military with relief goods in order for them to live through their hardships. The survivors slept in the Presidio and city parks, like the Golden Gate park, with tents, waited in line for food and clothing that were being distributed by the government and other organizations (National Archives, 2016). The survivors were required to do their cooking in the streets in order to minimize more fires. The administrators of relief goods included San Francisco Red Cross, Relief Corporation, and The United States Army. This earthquake was considered one of the worst natural disasters in United States. The city of San Francisco received helped from people around the country, other cities, states, federal government, and other countries, totaling up to $9 million in relief (“Quick facts about the 1906 earthquake and fires,”
was made to help people in different difficult situations. Barton’s group also began helping people from disasters. She was the president from the association until 1904.
One of the most influential women during this time period was Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She moved to California from West Point in 1851 with her parents. Lillie was very involved with the male community. She would dress in men’s clothing and gamble in the males-only establishments and soon became an avid part of the firefighters in the city. Ever since she was a young girl, Lillie found a fascination in fire fighting and once in her teens was out at the front of the line putting out fires with all the other men in the town. She became such an important figure to the firemen that they made her their mascot (Museum). The firemen made her an honorary member of the Knickerbocker Engine Company and citizen admired her for her affection that she had for the firefighters. After the 1906 earthquake, Lillie left funds for beautification in San Francisco, which is when the Coit Tower was built (Coit). Lillie ...
Florence Nightingale, named after the city of Florence, was born in Florence, Italy, on May 12, 1820. She would pursue a career in nursing and later find herself studying data of the soldiers she so cringingly looking after. Born into the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale took the lead role amongst her and her colleges to improve the inhabitable hospitals all across Great Britten; reduce the death count by more than two-thirds. Her love for helping people didn’t go unnoticed and would continue to increase throughout her life. In 1860 she opened up the St. Tomas’ Hospital and the Nightingale Training School for Nurses before passing August 13, 1910 in London. Her willingness to care for her patients was never overlooked and wound establishing