Clara Barton was born in Massachusetts during 1821. As a student, she learned many different subjects, and worked hard to receive an adequate education. Even as a young child Clara succeeded in helping others. At the age of 11 when her older brother David became ill, Clara became his “bedside nurse”. She tended to all of David’s needs and became adept at handling the leaches that was part of his treatment for nearly two years.
She also helped tutor the poorer children and care for the sick in her community.
About the age of eighteen, Clara began her first job teaching and quickly found that she had a natural talent to conduct the attention of her students. Clara taught at various different …show more content…
She distributed war supplies to the wounded soldiers and later promoted to distribute supplies directly to the front-line of war. She continued her job until the end of the Civil War. Subsequently, Clara started letter writing campaigns in search of missing soldiers and lobbying for the rights of ex- slaves and women’s right to vote.
While in Europe, Barton learned of the International Convention of Geneva, otherwise known as the Red Cross. Leaders of this group had heard of her deeds in the
Civil War and congratulated her deeds, but questioned her as to why the United States never consented to the Geneva Convention articles. Barton herself had never heard of this
Geneva Convention or of the Red Cross, but was surprised at the idea that United States never signed such a commendable idea. Clara volunteered for the Red Cross and attended to many people who had suffered in the Franco-Russian War. She realized the Red Cross was something her country needed and was determined to start the first Red Cross in the
U.S.
In 1881, the National Society of the Red Cross was formed. The organization not only helped in times of war, but aided in times of peace and natural disasters.