In years before the Civl War the life’s of American woman were shaped by a set of ideals . History called it “the cult of the true womanhood.  During the Civl War women helped out a lot of women would sign up to be nurses . Women on both sides were very patriotic back then.     Nearly 20,000 women worked more directly for the Untion war effort . Slaves women wasn’t free acourse  to the union cause. During World War Two some 350,000 women severed in the U.S. Armed forces.