Ch 11 Society Culture and Reform American Pageant

Ch. 11 – Society, Culture, and Reform American Pageant, Chs.

The Pursuit of Perfection

The Rise of Evangelicalism

The Rise of Evangelicalism n By the early 1800 s, the end of “established churches” presented the opportunity to convert citizens –In the early 19 th century, church Just like Jacksonian politicians membership was low & falling The American Revolution helped – New evangelists in the early facilitate the separation of church & state 1800 s led religious revivals using mass appeal techniques & preached that people were capable of self-improvement

The Second Great Awakening n The renewed religious revivalism became known as the Second Great Awakening (1800 -1830 s): –Highly emotional meetings No more Puritan original sin began in the West & spread to all sections of the country –Evangelists sought to awaken Americans to the need for “rebirth” & stressed salvation through repentance

Charles G. Finney (1792 – 1895) “soul-shaking” conversion R 1 -2 “The ranges of tents, the fires, the candles Evangelist Charles G. and lamps illuminating Finney was the 1 st to the camp; hundreds use dramatic revival moving to and fro; the meetings praying, to convert preaching, people all singing, andfrom shouting, … was enough to swallow classes up all the powers of contemplation. ”

Stressed new revival techniques: extended meetings, public prayer for women, emotionalism

The Spread of Religious Revivals The. It “burned-over was homewas todistrict” many so heavily The region homesocial towas many nonevangelized reformers that advocated it had Mormons, no fuel women’s (unconverted traditionalwho religions: Millerites, rights population) & the. Shakers, abolition left to & burn ofthe slavery (convert) Spiritualists, Oneida utopia

Second Great Awakening n Impact of the 2 nd Great Awakening –New reform-minded churches Dueling, profanity, & drinking hard liquor were formed the North & were seen as sins. Manyinnorthern evangelicals regarded slavery the Baptists sum of all & sins helped growasthe Methodists in the South –The revivalists taught that each person had a duty to combat sin; this led to an era of social reform in the 1830 s

Moderate Social Reforms

From Revivalism to Reform n Northern revivals, unlike in the South, inspired social reform among middle-class participants n Led to a “benevolent empire" of evangelical reform movements: – Religious conversion – Morality crusaders attacked prostitution, gambling, & slavery – Temperance advocates hoped to end alcohol abuse

Temperance was the era’s most successful reform

Changes in the American Legally, the husband was. Family the unchallenged head of household n Evangelicalism brought changes Virtue becamemiddle-class more importantfamilies: to white, as more men left home to work –Child rearing seen as essential # of children per family dropped 25% from for aconscience Christian 1800 preparation to 1850; Increased of life the resources raising a child –Wivesnecessary becameto“companions” (not servants) to their husbands –“Cult of Domesticity” Domesticity redefined women’s duty to promote piety, ethics, & character in children

Fears of Men

The Extension of Education ‘Ritinggrew ‘Rithmetic n Free Reading public schools rapidly from 1820 to 1850 to provide educational & moral training: –Prior Middle-class Americans sawwell to. America’s 1820, public schools were most famous education as a means for social developed in NE, but not in South advocate of public education advancement, teaching “ 3 R’s” & instilling a Protestant ethic –Horace Mann argued that schools “save” immigrants & poor kids from parents’ “bad” influence to create good citizens

Mc. Guffy’s Eclectic Readers were the most common text used to educated children

Asylum Reform n Reformers believed that all problems were correctable & built state-supported prisons, asylums, poorhouses: –The most famous asylum reformer was Dorothea Dix who publicized inhumane treatment of mental institution patients –As a result, 15 states improved their penitentiaries & hospitals

n Essential Question: Question –What significant social changes took place from 1820 to 1850?

Reform Turns Radical

Abolitionism n Moderate anti-slavery supporters backed emigration to Liberia to avoid a race war when slaves were gradually emancipated n But radical abolitionists, led by William Lloyd Garrison, called for immediate slave emancipation via his American Anti-Slave Society & The Liberator newsletter

William Lloyd Garrison n Garrison became the most popular abolitionist in the North

Abolitionism n Former slaves, like Frederick Douglass & Sojourner Truth, became important abolitionists: –They were able to relate the realities of slavery through Freedom’s Journal & North Star –Blacks were the leaders in the Underground Railroad –Blacks formed vigilante groups to protect fugitive slaves in North

Frederick Douglass & Sojourner Truth 1845 --> The Narrative of the Life Of Frederick Douglass 1847 --> “The North Star” R 212

The Underground Railroad

Abolitionism n Abolitionists most appealed to small town folk in the North n Not all Northerners supported abolition; Opposition came from: –Urban areas & from people who lived near the Mason-Dixon line –Racism, fears of interracial marriage, & fear of economic competition from freed blacks

Abolitionism n Radical abolitionists were hurt by in-fighting & many people criticized Garrison for his views: –He elected a woman to the executive committee of his American Anti-Slave Society –Called for Northern secession & boycotts of political elections n Some abolitionists broke off & formed the Liberty Party in 1840

Women's Rights n Involvement in abolitionism raised awareness of women’s inequality n Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the 1 st feminist national meeting, the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 – To demand the right to vote – Rejected the cult of domesticity (separate roles for sexes) in favor of total gender equality

The Seneca Falls Convention, 1848 Produced the Declaration of Sentiments: “We hold these truths to be self-evident…that all men & women are created equal. ”

Utopian Communities n Some reformers grew tired of trying to change society & created their own “ideal” communities: –Robert Owen & Charles Fourier created socialist communities –Shakers—believed in sexual equality & 2 nd coming of Christ –Oneida Community—Christ’s 2 nd coming already occurred; no need for moral rules (“free love”)

Shaker Hymn Shakers 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'Tis the gift to be free, 'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed, To turn, turn will be our delight, 'Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Oneida Community Beliefs Complex Marriage Male Continence Communalism Mutual Criticism “Ascending” Fellowship

Utopian Communities Before the Civil War

Transcendentalism n Transcendentalism—literary Transcendentalism & philosophical idea that individuals can transcend reality & connect with universal spiritual forces: –led by Ralph Waldo Emerson –George Ripley founded a utopian community at Brook Farm; focused on education –Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond advocated a “utopia of 1”

Conclusions n Americans in the 1830 s & 1840 s seemed ready to improve the nation, but in different ways: –Political parties (Dems & Whigs) hoped to improve politics –Industrialists hoped to increase the market revolution –Religious reformers hoped to convert the masses –Reform crusaders hoped to remove all moral & social evils