A.P. U.S. History Mr. Krueger

 – Revivals in the North  Charles G. Finney led the revival in Rochester, NY.  Heavy Drinkers and irregular church goers now change their tune  Followers of Finney attempt to get others to convert  Evangelical Protestantism provided the middle class with a strong sense of identity and purpose  Finney hoped that religious conversion and moral uplift would spread on its own  Religious reform: Attacks on alcohol, slavery, war, and government  Imposed new order and cultural unity  Instilled more radical movements that threaten to undermine established institutions.

 Evangelical revivalists in a way were similar to Jacksonians:  Both sought popular favor  Both assumed individuals were free agents capable of self direction and self improvement  Difference:  Jacksonians felt common people provided no threat to the community  Evangelical reformers felt that common people needed to be redeemed or uplifted.  In the 19 th century – American Protestantism was in constant ferment.  Spreading the gospel and reforming morals  Ending government funding  Secular ideas as a base for Democratic Republicans

 1801 – a crowd of 50,000 gather at Cane Ridge, Kentucky – 2 nd Great Awakening (South)  Organized by: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians  Potentially the only way to get baptized, married, or gain religious experience was at a camp meeting.  Promoted a sense of community  2 nd Great Awakening in the North  Small town revivals  Reform and redemption of the human race – social changes unlike the South.  Developed to defend Calvinism – differences between age groups and the definition of God.  Women’s movement and temperance movement.

 1820’s – whiskey was popular. Cheaper than beer and milk, and safer than drinking water.  Alcohol consumption was triple that of today.  Temperance reformers felt alcohol was a threat to public morality and it threatened families.  Main target was abusive men.  1830’s – consumption declined by 50%.

 Evangelical Culture changed the institution of family  Triumph of marriage for love – mutual affection a must.  Wives were companions, not servants – egalitarian tone  But the husband was still head of the household  Evangelical movement encouraged feminine influences.  Revivals  Gave women a role in converting men  Created Christ with feminine characters:  Merciful  Loving  Nurturing  Provided a model for the women’s new role

 What were the social expectations of women in this time period?  Cult of True Womanhood  Two Spheres  Unmarried Women  Prostitutes  Sororities  Feminism  Childhood

 Horace Mann – most influential spokesman for school movement  Established the State Board of Education  Adequate tax base for education  Taught the 3 R’s and protestant ethics  Reformers thought that malcontents could be helped in a controlled environment  Previously:  Insane were allowed to wander  Criminals were whipped and jailed  Paupers were supported by charities  Asylums, prisons, and poor houses created to be humanitarian, therapeutic, and attempted to reform  Not successful, needed to be improved.

 How did reforms turn radical?  Temperance  American Peace Society  Slavery, Racism, Abolition

 New diets – fruits, veggies, and whole wheat  Women began to wear loose bloomers  Phrenology became popular – study of the shape of the skull to determine aptitude and intelligence  Séances and contacting the dead