“I stand at the altar of murdered men and as long as I live I will fight their cause. » These words spoken by Florence Nightingale sum up very well the ambitions of her life. Florence Nightingale: “The Lady with the Lamp”, creator of the nursing profession, hero of the Crimean War, and much more. She was born into an upper-class family on May 12, 1820 in Florence, Italy. As a woman, working in the Victorian era was rare, let alone pursuing a career in nursing. Florence paved the way for future nurses, saved many lives, and improved health care in hospitals. Florence Nightingale was born into a wealthy family involved in elite social circles. Her mother was interested in socializing, but Florence did not inherit this trait. Florence preferred not to be the center of attention and often argued with her mother, who was usually very controlling of her. Florence didn't have much say in the decisions. Florence's father was a wealthy landowner and provided her with a good education, including lessons in German, French and Italian. She always wanted to help people, which led her to become involved in philanthropy from a young age. Florence had decided she wanted to become a nurse at the age of 16, a decision her parents did not agree with. In the Victorian era, it was rare for women to have jobs. Women generally looked after the children and took care of the house. Florence rejected a marriage proposal at the age of 17, once again setting herself apart from the typical Victorian woman. In 1844, she became a nursing student at Pastor Fliedner's Lutheran Hospital in Kaiserwerth, Germany. There weren't many nurses back then, let alone a nurse. By 1850, Florence had...... middle of paper ......prosperous career, nursing was not a popular vocation. Women, in particular, did not receive training in nursing until Florence led the way. Florence “stood at the altar of murdered men” and could not stand the lack of nurses and medical care to care for the sick and wounded. When Florence died in 1910, her legacy continued to live on and continues to inspire people today. Works Cited “Facts about Florence Nightingale.” Interesting information for children, students, parents and teachers. Np, and Web. February 28, 2014. “Biography of Florence Nightingale.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, and Web. February 28, 2014. “Florence Nightingale.” Florence Rossignol. Np, and Web. March 2. 2014. .