Pre-Civil War Reform Attempt to improve society through reform

Early 19 th Century Americans convinced society disintegrating City Slums Duels Lynchings Street Children Alcoholism Illegitimacy Young women left home (women not under control of father or husband)

Early 19 th Century Religious Revival (2 nd Great Awakening) Time of Constitution- 1 in 20 attended church in 3 attended church Millenialism- a belief that the world is about to end Churches forced to compete for members so they adopted new theologies and teaching styles

Reform Came in Three Stages Moral Reform: Create a God like society. Temperance Prostitution Social Reform: Create institutions to combat poverty, crime, illiteracy and disease. Education Prisons Hospitals Radical Reform: Combats underlying inequalities, slavery, racism and sexism. Women’s Rights Abolition

Moral Reform Temperance Dram brakes/ night caps The term booze came from this era Typical adult drank 7 gallons/year Linked to crime, poverty, unproductive workers Stress of market society lead many to drink Death on the Striped Pig (1839)

The Effects of Drunkenness (1841)

Moral Reform Prostitution 5% - 10% of teenage girls in New York were prostitutes Age of consent in states ranged from 7 – th Century Prostitution

Social Reform Crime Exploded in early 19 th century Colonial View: Reintegrate criminals into society; punishments were swift and harsh

Social Reform Education Horace Mann: convinced MA of Public Education Create system to train teachers Germany, Netherlands and Denmark developing schools at the same time.

Social Reform Education (cont.’) Create schools without raising taxes Solution: Hire women, pay them lower wages than men

Radical Reform Abolition Early 19 th Century Slavery on the way out 1808 US and GB outlawed African Slave Trade Problem: How to convince slaveholders to emancipate slaves? 1830s and 1840s US in deadlock over slavery

Radical Reform Violent counter-reaction to abolitionists Garrisonians vs. Politics Radicals Liberty Party Slavery Evil Free Soil Party at heart of US Republican Party

Radical Reform Women’s Rights 1840 London Abolition Conference: Female delegation forced to sit in balcony behind a curtain Anti-slavery Movement splits over inequalities for women

Radical Reform Average American Woman – 10 children fewer than 5 children children Women were desperate to reduce rate of births High Rates of Abortions 1 in 6 estimate

Radical Reform Things getting better for women Rise in women’s literacy Increase in female schools/academies Increased employment opportunities Things getting worse for women No political power Women’s work devalued Lacked divorce and property rights