Objective and Scales I can describe the expansion of democracy and compare and contrast the various reform movements (temperance, prison/mentally ill, education, antislavery, women’s suffrage)

The idea of reform A drive to improve society and the lives of Americans during the mid 1800’s, especially 1. The disadvantaged 2. Enslaved 3. Urban poor The Age of Jackson was a time of expanding democracy. In the 1830s many Americans became interested in social reform, organized attempts to improve conditions of life The spirit of reform brought changes to 1. Religion-2 nd Great Awakening 2. Abolitionist Movement 3. Public Schools 4. Women’s rights/suffrage 5. Prisons/mentally ill facilities 6. Transcendentalists 7. Utopian Communities 8. Temperance

Second Great Awakening Beginning in the early 1800s new generation of religious ministers challenged traditional religious views The 2 nd Great Awakening preached that people’s own actions determined their salvation Charles Finney was among these new preachers, he held religious revivals or huge outdoor religious meetings This new religious revival blended well with the new political ideas of the time about democracy and independence. “All sorts of abandoned characters are awakened and converted…”

Utopian Societies A few people thought to improve society by creating perfect communities called utopias(perfect society). Harmony, Indiana was a “utopia” established by Robert Owen in Turned out to be anything BUT a utopia

Temperance Movement Many reformers supported temperance or an organized effort to end alcohol abuse and the problems created by it Alcohol was widely used, whiskey was cheaper than milk!! Alcoholism and alcohol abuse reached an epidemic This reform movement drew many women supporters b/c it was often women and children that suffered at the hands of alcoholic husbands/fathers Other reforms called for stricter action or the total ban of the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol called prohibition.

Prison Reform/Mentally Ill facilities Prisons were poorly heated, had inadequate food, and cramped conditions Chains and cages were used on the mentally ill inside the prisons Many were not criminals, but were debtors Dorothea Dix a MA, school teacher was one of the first to take up prison reform and mentally ill reform She worked to convince state legislatures to build new, more sanitary, and more humane prisons Dorothea work helped remove the mentally ill from prisons and into separate institutions called asylums (provided treatment, not punishment)

Education Reform Education was another area of concern for reforms Massachusetts became the first state to pass laws requiring public schools, free schools supported by taxes Reforms argued that education was necessary to create informed voters Horace Mann of MA, took the lead in education reform. He argued democracy depended on an educated society He helped to improve the MA public school system, training teachers, and lengthen the school year Other states followed MA’s example and by the 1850s many Northeastern states had public schools. Southern and Western states lagged behind “…enrich their minds with knowledge…”

Education for A.A. Improvements in public education did little to nothing for A.A education Because of the ______ ______, Southern states prohibited teaching enslaved people to read or write Schools in the North were segregated However, in 1855 MA became the first state to admit AA students to public school Some AA attended private colleges such as Harvard and Oberlin First AA to graduate from Harvard, class of 1870 Richard T Greener

Once you are finished… In at least 2 paragraphs Pick one reform movement Describe how reform movements improved society in the mid 1880s Explain if society has benefited or not because of the reform movement (connect it to today) Due at the end of class or finished for Homework.