Reforming American Society Chapter 8

Key Ideas

The Second “Spiritual Reform From Within” [Religious Revivalism] Social Reforms & Redefining the Ideal of Equality

The Rise of Popular Religion In France, I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom pursuing courses diametrically opposed to each other; but in America, I found that they were intimately united, and that they reigned in common over the same country… Religion was the foremost of the political institutions of the United States. -- Alexis de Tocqueville, 1832

“soul-shaking” conversion Charles G. Finney (1792 – 1875) The ranges of tents, the fires, reflecting light…; the candles and lamps illuminating the encampment; hundreds moving to and fro…;the preaching, praying, singing, and shouting,… like the sound of many waters, was enough to swallow up all the powers of contemplation. “soul-shaking” conversion Converted had a duty to spread the word about personal salvation 

Second Great Awakening Revival Meeting

“The Benevolent Empire” 1825 - 1846

Second Great Awakening Rejection of Calvinist idea of predestination

Transcendentalism Philosophical and literary movement Emphasized “Transcend” the limits of intellect and allow the emotions, the SOUL, to create an original relationship with the Universe

Transcendentalist Thinking Man must acknowledge a body of that were intuitive and must TRANSCEND more sensational proof: The infinite benevolence The

Resistance to Civil Disobedience (1849) “The American Scholar” (1837) Transcendentalist Intellectuals/Writers Concord, MA Nature (1832) Resistance to Civil Disobedience (1849) Self-Reliance (1841) Walden (1854) “The American Scholar” (1837)

The Transcendentalist Agenda Give

A Transcendentalist Critic: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) Their pursuit of the ideal led to a distorted view of human nature and possibilities: * The Blithedale Romance One should accept the world as an imperfect place: * Scarlet Letter * House of the Seven Gables

Abolitionist Movement Both the and the led to the Abolitionist Movement How to end slavery? Gradualists Immediatists

Abolitionist Movement Until 1820s most abolitionists advocated resettlement 1816 - created Member certificate to American Colonization Society “Here I have dwelt until I am nearly sixty years of age, and have brought up and educated a family…Yet some ingenious gentlemen have recently discovered that I am still an African; that a continent three thousand miles, and more, from the place where I was born, is my native country. And I am advised to go home…Perhaps if I should only be set on the shore of that distant land, I should recognize all I might see there, and run at once to the old hut where my forefathers lived a hundred years ago.”

Anti-Slavery Alphabet

William Lloyd Garrison (1801-1879) Massachusetts newspaper editor Slavery was a moral, not an economic issue Founded in 1831

Premiere issue - January 1, 1831 The Liberator Premiere issue - January 1, 1831

The Tree of Slavery—Loaded with the Sum of All Villanies!

Other White Abolitionists Lewis Tappan James Birney Liberty Party Ran for President in 1840 & 1844 Arthur Tappan

Black Abolitionists David Walker (1785-1830) 1829  Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World Fight for freedom rather than wait to be set free by whites

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) 1845  The Narrative of the Life Of Frederick Douglass 1847  published

Sojourner Truth (1787-1883) or Isabella Baumfree 1850  The Narrative of Sojourner Truth

(1820-1913) “Moses” Helped over 300 slaves to freedom $40,000 bounty on her head Served as a Union spy during the Civil War “Moses”

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad “Conductor” ==== leader of the escape “Passengers” ==== escaping slaves “Tracks” ==== routes “Trains” ==== farm wagons transporting the escaping slaves “Depots” ==== safe houses to rest/sleep

Turner’s Rebellion Led by Nat Turner Virginia 55-65 whites killed in the revolt 200+ blacks killed 56 executed (including Turner) 100-200 killed by militias and mobs Results:

Slave Owners Defend Slavery Ex. Servants should obey their masters Slaves benefited from Christianity Greece, Rome, Egypt Paternalism of slaveowner Compared to “wage slaves” in the North “ ” not just a “necessary evil” 1836-1844 “ ” In response to numerous abolitionist petitions, Congress was prevented from discussing slavery

Penitentiary Reform Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) 1821  first penitentiary founded in Auburn, NY R1-5/7

Dorothea Dix Asylum - 1849

1826 - American Temperance Society “Demon Rum”! Temperance Movement 1826 - American Temperance Society “Demon Rum”! Frances Willard The Beecher Family R1-6

Annual Consumption of Alcohol

From the first glass to the grave, 1846 “The Drunkard’s Progress” From the first glass to the grave, 1846

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 state offered free public education to whites. * US had one of the highest literacy rates.

Horace Mann (1796-1859) “Father of American Education” children were clay in the hands of teachers and school officials children should be “molded” into a state of perfection discouraged corporal punishment established state teacher- training programs R3-6

The McGuffey Eclectic Readers Used religious parables to teach “American values” Teach middle class morality and respect for order Teach “3 Rs” + “Protestant ethic” (frugality, hard work, sobriety) R3-8

Early 19c Women Property Single  Married 

Women Educators 1831 1837 1834 Troy, NY Female Seminary Curriculum: math, physics, history, geography Train female teachers 1831 Opened school for girls 1834 Opened school for African-American girls Emma Willard (1787-1870) 1837 Mt. Holyoke (College) first college for women Prudence Crandall (1803-1890) Mary Lyons (1797-1849)

“ ” Concept “ ” A woman’s “sphere” was in the home (it was a refuge from the cruel world outside) Her role was to “civilize” her husband and family An 1830s MA minister: The power of woman is her dependence. A woman who gives up that dependence on man to become a reformer yields the power God has given her for her protection, and her character becomes unnatural!

Cult of Domesticity = The inspired women to improve society Lucy Stone Angelina Grimké Sarah Grimké American Women’s Suffrage Assoc. Edited Woman’s Journal Southern Abolitionists Ran a school for females

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Rights 1840  split in the abolitionist movement over women’s role in it London  World Anti-Slavery Convention female delegates denied right to attend convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton Lucretia Mott 1848 

Seneca Falls Declaration

What It Would Be Like If Ladies Had Their Own Way!

Industry Changes Work Production moved from to and artisans 

Farm to Factory Lowell workforce  almost entirely unmarried farm girls 90% of workers in 1828 80% under age 30 1834 first strike at Lowell 15% pay cut Spindles and looms had been tripled, but workers only increased 50% Workers returned, leaders fired 1836 second strike at Lowell Boarding rates increased = 12.5% pay cut Twice as many women went on strike Company fired leaders Most workers then returned to jobs

Workers Seek Better Conditions 1830s and 1840s 1-2% of workers were unionized Dozens of strikes Usually for higher wages/shorter workdays Workers usually lost Strikebreakers hired Usually immigrants who had fled even greater poverty

Immigration 1830-1860 dramatic increase in immigration Largest groups were  Midwest  eastern cities Faced discrimination