Antebellum Revivalism & Reform

Reform movement came about because of the Market Revolution Led by the Middle Class Belief in the goodness of human nature Moralistic

A. Religious Revivalism

The Second Great Awakening 1790’s-1830’s 2nd Religious Revival Movement in the U.S. Stressed salvation through personal faith Redemption

Social Reforms & Redefining the Ideal of Equality The Second Great Awakening Social Reforms & Redefining the Ideal of Equality Temperance Education Abolitionism Asylum & Penal Reform Women’s Rights

The “Burned-Over” District An area in Upstate & Western NY state Heavily evangelized during the 2nd G.A. There was no more “Fuel” to “Burn” b/c everyone had converted New religious movements began in this area

The Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) 1823  Golden Tablets 1830  Book of Mormon 1844  Murdered in Carthage, IL Joseph Smith (1805-1844)

The Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) Mormons faced persecution b/c of their beliefs Polygamy Cooperative Communities After his death, Brigham Young became the new leader Brigham Young (1801-1877)

The Mormon “Trek” Desert community would become their “Zion” Salt Lake City, Utah founded in 1847 Utah did not become a state until 1896 b/c of Mormon beliefs

B. Utopian Communities

What is a Utopian Community? A group that pulls away from society to form a “perfect” community Formed to counteract the economic & social evils caused by the Market Revolution About 100 formed All were Cooperative Socialist/Communist in nature Gender roles neutralized Some founded around religion

The Shakers Religion was the focus Life should be dedicated to finding perfection Segregated men and women Believed in celibacy Live a simplistic lifestyle

John Humphrey Noyes (1811-1886) The Oneida Community New York, 1848 Millenarianism --> the 2nd coming of Christ had already occurred. Humans were no longer obliged to follow the moral rules of the past. all residents married to each other – “Complex Marriage” carefully regulated “free love” John Humphrey Noyes (1811-1886)

Brook Farm Transcendentalist Utopian farm Formed in West Roxbury, MA Was influential to writers like Thoreau & Hawthorne George Ripley 1802-1880

New Harmony, IN To deal with poverty socialist communities should be established All families work & live together Robert Owen 1771-1858

C. Penitentiary Reform

Institute Building in the U.S During the 1830’s and 1840’s the U.S. began a program of institute building: Jails for debtors and criminals Poorhouses for the destitute Orphanages for children without families

Dorthea Dix Mentally insane were placed in prisons and abused No assistance given Dix was an advocate to improve their treatment 1849:1st Asylum established to treat the insane By 1860 28 states established asylums

D. Temperance

Consumption of Alcohol Alcohol seen as one of the biggest problems of society Mainly a problem for men “Demon” Rum, Cider, Whiskey Beer (when the Germans arrive) Problem? Wasted Money Domestic Abuse Increased Crime Rates Decreased Efficiency at work

American Temperance Society Founded in 1826 in Boston, MA Claimed to have 200,000 members by mid 1830’s Group mainly made up of Women Two methods for ending the evils of alcohol: Advocate a moderate use of alcohol 2. Make alcohol illegal By 1857, 12 states had made alcohol illegal ME was the first Problem: laws found unconstitutional Successful: alcohol consumption dropped

E. Education Reform

Horace Mann (1796-1859) “Father of American Education” Pushed for a state supported, public educational system Advocated dividing children up by “Grades” and having a uniform curriculum in all schools Discouraged corporal punishment Established state teacher- training programs

Religious Training  Secular Education Educational Reform Religious Training  Secular Education MA  always on the forefront of public educational reform * 1st state to establish tax support for local public schools. By 1860 every Northern state offered free public education to whites. * US had one of the highest literacy rates.

Women Educators Middle class women now seen as able to have an acceptable job outside of the house Established a seminary in NY to train female teachers Emma Willard (1787-1870) 1837  she established Mt. Holyoke [MA] as the first college for women. Mary Lyons (1797-1849)

F. Women's Rights

Early 19c Women Unable to vote. Legal status of a minor. Single  could own her own property. Married  no control over her property or her children. Could not initiate divorce. Couldn’t make wills, sign a contract, or bring suit in court without her husband’s permission.

“Separate Spheres” Concept “Cult of Domesticity” A woman’s “sphere” was in the home Her role was to “civilize” her husband and family. Four Cardinal virtues: Piety Purity Submission Domesticity

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Rights Many women believed that their roles in other reform movements should lead to an expansion of their rights Lucretia Mott Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1848  Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

Cult of Domesticity = Slavery The 2nd Great Awakening inspired women to improve society. Angelina Grimké Sarah Grimké Southern Abolitionists

Seneca Falls Convention 1st women’s rights convention Held in July 1848 Stanton read Declaration of Sentiments Outlined that women & men should be equals However, no real changes until after WWI

G. Abolitionism

Early Movements 1816: American Colonization Society founded Did not believe that freed slaves could achieve equality in the U.S. Established Liberia in Africa

Premiere issue  January 1, 1831 William Lloyd Garrison Wanted immediate emancipation with NO compensation. Slavery was a moral, not an economic issue. Began militant abolitionist movement in the North Premiere issue  January 1, 1831