Final answer:
Women during the Civil War assumed many roles such as managing farms and businesses, forming ladies' aid societies, volunteering as nurses, and even engaging in espionage and combat.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Civil War, women took on various roles that were crucial to the war effort on both sides. They often took over the management of farms and businesses when the men went off to war. Many women also organized ladies' aid societies to provide supplies and necessities for the troops. In the North, women were key volunteers for the United States Sanitary Commission, aiming to improve sanitary conditions and reduce deaths from diseases in military camps. They also served as nurses, cooks, and laundresses in the Union army. Moreover, there were women who acted as spies and some who even disguised themselves as men to engage directly in combat.