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The U.S. Civil War's Impact on Women's Work and Political Participation

Author

Listed:
  • Madison K. Arnsbarger
  • Andreas Ferrara
  • Paige Montrose

Abstract

This paper studies the role of economic participation via the labor market in enabling the political mobilization of an underrepresented group. Specifically, we study the wives and daughters of disabled Union Army soldiers after the U.S. Civil War. Linking Union Army enlistment records to the 1860 and 1870 U.S. censuses, we find that the wives and daughters of disabled veterans were significantly more likely to participate in the labor force than those of non-disabled veterans. Historical evidence suggests that disabled veterans were also more exposed to postwar alcohol and substance abuse, increasing the household burdens faced by women. Town-level data show that increases in women's labor force participation combined with higher shares of disabled veterans predict more Temperance Crusade activity in 1873-74. Information provision via newspapers and proximity to other protest towns amplify these effects. Using unit-level disability rates as an instrument for veterans' disability status supports a causal interpretation of the labor market effects. Our results suggest that labor force participation can be an important enabling factor for the political mobilization of underrepresented groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Madison K. Arnsbarger & Andreas Ferrara & Paige Montrose, 2026. "The U.S. Civil War's Impact on Women's Work and Political Participation," NBER Working Papers 35287, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:35287
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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