Clara Barton Research Paper

A Woman of Action:
The Life Story of Clara Barton

Emma Lynch
Mr. Holland
US History I Honors
January 21, 2016
Clara Barton was a prominent figure in American history. She displayed a multitude of characteristics through her actions, especially courage, bravery, and passion. She was one of the most honored women, as she was among the first women to teach in a school and be employed in the federal government. She displayed courage through these actions, as it was unprecedented for a woman to become a teacher or gain employment in the government. “She risked her life to bring supplies and support to soldiers in the field during the Civil War.” She and her supply wagons traveled with the Union army to care for the injured …show more content…
She risked her life by walking on open battlefront, in order to treat the sick and wounded. "The men were brought down from the field… there must have been three thousand helpless men…All night we made compresses and slings – and bound up and wet wounds, when we could get water, fed what we could, traveled miles in that dark over to those poor helpless wretches." She founded the American Red Cross in 1881, at age 60, and led it for over two decades with the objective to always help others. “Her understanding of the needs of people in distress and the ways in which she could provide help to them guided her throughout her life.” She expanded opportunities for volunteer work, and her intense passion for serving others impacted society for the greater good. At the Battle of Antietam, she organized a group of men to perform first aid, carry water, and prepare food for the wounded. Barton’s passion was shown immensely in these particular actions, as it became the center of her life. Clara Barton demonstrated tremendous courage by defying social …show more content…
Her mother, Sarah Stone Barton, was a homemaker and taught Clara many valuable skills that she found useful on the battlefield, including cooking, sewing, and weaving. Her father, Captain Stephen Barton, was a member of the local militia, serving his duties in the War of 1812. He frequently told Clara stories about the war, and this knowledge helped Clara later in life, on and off of the battlefield. “Barton’s strong bond with her father influenced her patriotism, love of military, and humanitarian interests.” Clara was the youngest of five children, Dorothea, Stephen, David, and Sarah. Her brothers and sisters taught her how to read and write while she was homeschooled from age one to four. She entered school at the age of four, and was more advanced than her classmates, most prominently in reading. Her parents then sent her off to boarding school to help her overcome her shyness. As a result of her extremely shy and timid personality, Clara often withdrew herself from others and was easily intimidated. Phrenologist L.N. Fowler later diagnosed her as putting other’s needs before her own. “The sensitive nature will always remain. She will never asset herself for herself – she will suffer wrong first – but for others she will be perfectly

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