The Ferment of Reform and Culture Chapter 15 1790-1860

Religious Denominations Major Religions after Revolution Congregationalists (Descendants of Puritans) Anglicans (Church of England – Episcopalians) Quakers Impact of scientific thought Deism (Science rather than religion) – Supreme Being created universe, gave people capacity for morality. Unitarianism – God was single entity (no trinity)

Second Great Awakening (1800-) Religion was separated from control of political leaders SGA was spiritual resurgence that changed landscape of USA Growth of Methodism, Baptist religions (common amongst poor) Camp Meetings (enthusiastic preaching to large groups) Peter Cartwright Charles Finney Opposite approach from FGA People could change their situation for the better

Impact of SGA Embracement of more optimistic view of human condition USA becomes increasingly Protestant More likely to resist Catholicism of incoming Irish immigrants Much higher participation by women and African Americans Widened the gap between the rich and the poor Slavery was divisive issue in many churches

Joseph Smith and the Golden Plates In 1823 (NY), Smith claimed to have been visited by an angel Spent 6 years translating text, publishes Book of Mormon in 1830 Founds Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Quickly attracts converts Heavily criticized for unorthodox practices, Smith is killed (1844) Brigham Young leads Mormons west to Utah

Improving Education Public education develops more widely (1820s- 1850s) Expensive, poorly run Horace Mann advocates for better schools “No one did more than he to establish in the minds of the American people the conception that education should be universal, non- sectarian, free, and that its aims should be social efficiency, civic virtue, and character” Universities continue to develop TJ – University of Virginia (1829) Emma Willard  education for women

Society, Culture, Technology Prisons should reform, not simply punish Dorothy Dix campaigned for better conditions for mentally ill American Temperance Society (1826) – eliminate alcohol Maine Law of 1851 – outlawed alcohol in Maine until 1918 Scientific Advancement Inventions developments in medicine American Literature (romanticism) Washington Irving (Legend of Sleepy Hollow) James Fenimore Cooper (Leatherstocking Tales) Edgar Allan Poe Herman Melville (Moby Dick)

Seneca Falls, NY Cult of Domesticity – Woman’s place was at home Could not vote, lost property when married Began to avoid marriage Woman’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls (1848) Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances Met opposition when pushed for enfranchisement Marks the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement

Transcendentalism An idealistic philosophical and social movement Influenced by romanticism Knowledge comes from within “Transcends" or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel. Self-reliance and self-discipline, individualism Ralph Waldo Emerson “Stop imitating Europe and be yourself” Henry David Thoreau - Walden