Literature, Art and Abolition
Women of the 19th Century Not allowed to vote They could be beaten by husbands Once they were married, a woman couldn’t own property Stereotyped as physically and mentally weak and the keepers of society
Women of the 19th Century Reformers – white well to do Lucretia Mott – fought for anti slavery, but wasn’t recognized at the London Anti-slavery conference Elizabeth Cady Stanton – left out obey in marriage vows, fought for woman’s suffrage Susan B. Anthony – woman’s rights Elizabeth Blackwell – 1st female graduate of medical college Margaret Fuller – edited a journal
Women of the 19th Century Reformers cont. Sarah and Angelina Grimke – anti – slavery Lucy Stone – didn’t take her husband’s name Amelia Bloomer – wore short skirt and “bloomers”
The Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention, 1848
The first signatures on the Declaration of Sentiments. “. . . The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. . . . He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise. He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she has no voice. . .” Elizabeth Cady Stanton, The Declaration of Sentiments The first signatures on the Declaration of Sentiments.
The radical abolition movement had the greatest impact on women’s rights.
Women in the abolition movement recognized parallels between the legal condition of slaves and that of women.
Utopian Societies New Harmony – Robert Owen 1825 Brook Farm – Massachusetts, transcendentalism, “living plain and thinking high” Oneida – New York, complex marriage Shakers – religious community, prohibited marriage and sex…it didn’t last long
New Harmony
New Harmony
Brook Farm
Brook Farm
Oneida
Oneida
Oneida
Shakers
Shakers
Literature and Art Built Nationalism Why? Hudson River School totally unique style of painting, focused on wild American landscape. Captured the “American Pioneering Spirit” (Manifest Destiny). “Landscape Painting”.
Literature Romanticism Transcendentalism Writing style that focused on: emotion, religion, man v. nature Examples: Washington Irving- Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle- 1st American Folktales. Nathaniel Hawthorne- Scarlet Letter James Fennimore Cooper- Last of the Mohicans Edgar Allen Poe- The Raven Writing Style and Philosophy focused on: emotion, promoted self-reliance (individualism) Examples: Ralph Waldo Emerson- Essayist and Poet Henry David Thoreau- Walden and Civil Disobedience (promoted nonviolent protest, MLK Jr. and Gandhi)
Slavery in the North and South Nat Turner’s Rebellion Preacher Killed 60 people in VA (mostly women and children) Payback was bloody This made Southern slaveholders scared
American Colonization Society Return African-Americans to Africa
William Lloyd Garrison The Liberator – anti slavery newspaper
Sojourner Truth Free African-American who fought for emancipation and women’s rights
Frederick Douglass Former slave Published the North Star newspaper
Slavery – “The Peculiar Institution” North South Made $ off slavery Made $ off slavery
Free Soil Party Wanted to stop the expansion of slavery in the west