Transcript U.S. History Unit # 3 Chapter # 9 “Religion & Reform”

U.S. History
Unit # 3
Chapter # 9
“Religion & Reform”
1800 – 1850
Few Problems…
Poverty, alcoholism, illiteracy, overcrowded
housing, poor health care, abuse of women,
declining moral values.
These problems plagued cities early on.
Many people felt cities needed to reform.
It will begin with faith based reformers.
Section #1:
“Middle Class Reform”
Protestant Revivalists: believed that God was allpowerful but that God allowed people to make
their own destinies.
Charles Grandison Finney: Central figure
Preached with passion and fire!
Lyman Beecher: father to Henry Ward Beecher,
Harriett Beecher Stowe, & Catherine Beecher
Warned America: “the vast extent of territory, our numerous
and increasing population, . . . Diversity of local interests, the
power of selfishness, and the fury of sectional jealousy and
hate.”
Said good people would make a good country!
Section #1 cont.
Transcendentalists (“rise above”):
Centered in Concord, Massachusetts
Taught that the process of spiritual
discovery and insight would lead a person
to truths more profound than he or she
could reach through reason. Humans are
naturally good. Promote self-reliance.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Leader of the
movement.
(1803 – 1882)
Recognized as a major
American poet.
Young wife died, so he
questioned his beliefs.
“What is man born for,
but to be a reformer, a
reformer of what man
has made, a renouncer
of lies; a restorer of
truth and good . . . ?”
Henry David Thoreau
Best works: “Walden, or
life in the Woods”
Suffered tragedy to make
him question…
Failed at teaching, broken
engagement, death of
brother.
Built a cabin on lake
Walden and spent 2 years
writing and thinking.
Where he wrote Walden.
Henry David Thoreau (cont.)
“Why should we be in such desperate haste to
succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a
man does not keep pace with his companions,
perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears, however
measured or far away.” --- Walden (1854)
Strong opponent of war with Mexico.
True to his beliefs, he protested in 1846 by not paying
taxes.
Jailed for this and later described it in his famous essay
Civil Disobedience.
In his later years, he devoted lots of time to the
anti-slavery movement, or helping escaped slaves
free.
The Temperance Movement
Social problem of the early
1800’s.
At this point, Americans
consumed more alcoholic
beverages per person than any
other time in the country's
history.
An organized campaign to
eliminate alcohol consumption.
U.S. “actually threatened with
becoming a nation of drunkards.”
– Greene and Delaware Moral
Society, 1815
Women reformers particularly
saw it as threatening.
Abstinence: to not drink alcohol.
Temperance Movement (cont.)
By 1834 the American
Temperance Society had 7,000
local organizations with
1,250,000 members.
Abraham Lincoln, young
lawyer who saw Temperance
Movement like American
Revolution.
He looked forward to the
“happy day when…the victory
shall be complete – when there
shall be neither a slave nor a
drunkard on the earth.
Maine outlaws alcohol in 1851.
Protests of brewers, distillers,
and other citizens usually led
to repeal of such laws.
Public Education
Public Education needed to be reformed too!
Buildings were old, textbooks were scarce, teacher
quality was poor.
Many people began demanding tax-supported
public schools.
Democracy needs literate, informed voters and morally
upright citizens.
Opposition:
Tax payers with no kids, or kids went to private schools
hated this suggestion
Some families needed their kids to work and didn’t
want them going to school past a certain age.
Horace Mann – leads reforms!
Self-educated
Served in Mass legis.
State’s 1st Sec. of Board of
Ed.
Believed in “the absolute
right to an education of
every human being that
comes into the world.”
Wanted to raise taxes for
public ed.
Divided schools into grade
levels.
Established first public high
school in 1821.
Fought against slavery.
Moral Education
Like other middle-class
reformers, Mann wanted
an education that
promoted self-discipline
and good citizenship.
Schools taught kids how
to behave, stand in line to
wait turn, be polite to
others, and respect
authority.
Learned through
McGuffey’s Readers.
Promoted evangelical
Protestant values.
Limits of Reform
Schools more common in North than South.
Where schools did exist:
Girls discouraged from attending
Free blacks often turned away or were
segregated (separated according to race).
Some African American colleges opened.
Some private colleges became
coeducational.
For most part, only white males were
welcomed at Universities.
Reforming Prisons
In 1800’s many states built prisons for those
who committed crimes.
Supposed to be in isolation here for years.
Prisoners were supposed to lead regular,
disciplined lives, reflect on their sins, and
maybe become law abiding citizens.
But Dorothea Dix, a Boston schoolteacher,
found out otherwise…
Dorothea Dix’s Discovery
She discovered all kinds of people (men,
women, young/old, sane/insane, firsttimers, and repeat offenders) all together
in bad conditions.
Dressed in rags
Poorly fed
Chained together in unheated cells
Spent next 2 years going to all prisons in
Mass.
Submitted findings to Mass legislature.
Treating the Mentally ill as criminals
rather than patients, “is to condemn them
to mental death.”
She convinced state to improve conditions
and create separate institutions for the
mentally ill.
15 others states did the same!
Utopian Communities
Most reformers worked to improve society at
large, while some formed Utopian Communities.
Small societies dedicated to perfection in social and
political conditions.
Utopia, appeared in literature earlier.
Described a place where human greed, sin, and egotism
did not exists, and people lived in prosperity as equals.
Utopian reformers, angry about urban problems,
believed these kinds of societies would be
possible.
Not so much…
First half of 1800’s, 100 communities arose.
Most famous – New Harmony, Indiana
Founded in 1825 by Scottish man Robert Owen.
Owen wanted a town with well-educated and hardworking
people, sharing property in common and living in
harmony.
Fell victim to laziness, selfishness, and quarreling.
Most were religiously oriented.
Shakers (from Quakers) established their first community
in New Lebanon, NY in 1787.
Lead lives of productive labor, moral perfection, and equality
among men and women.
Best known today for great furniture!
Peaked in 1840 with 6,000 members, few survived into late 1900’s.
Section #2:
The Antislavery Movement
David Walker spread his message interestingly.
He bought cloths from sailors returning to port, put copies of his
pamphlet “Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World” in them,
and then resold the.
He said white people should all cooperate so that all Americans
can “live in peace and happiness together.”
But if they would not listen he warned, “We must and shall be
free…in spite of [white people], for America is as much our country
as it is yours.
Angry southerners in response to antislavery literature, ban
anti-slavery publications and made it illegal to teach slaves
to read.
Yet, fighters of the ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT (the
movement to end slavery), continued to fight!
Roots of Abolitionism
Earliest known antislavery protest came from the
Mennonites, Christian sect of German immigrants,
who declared in 1688:
“There is a saying, that we should do to all men like as
we will be done ourselves; making no difference of
what generation, descent, or colour they are. And those
who steal or rob men, and those who buy or purchase
them, are they not all alike?”
From 1777-1807every state north of Maryland
passes laws that gradually abolish slavery.
No more importing slaves after 1808.
Different Approaches
A Quaker, Benjamin Lundy, founded an
antislavery newspaper called The Genius of
Universal Emancipation.
The paper called for a gradual program of
EMANCIPATION, freeing of slaved persons.
He wanted to stop the spread of slavery to new
states and end the slave trade within the U.S. first.
By the end of the 1820’s, nearly 50 African
American antislavery groups had formed in the
nation..
Different Approaches Continued:
The Colonization of Liberia
Early 1800’s some abolitionists favored COLONIZATION,
a program to send free blacks and emancipated slaves to
Africa.
Thinking Af. Amers. would never be treated equally, these
abolitionists formed the American Colonization Society in 1816.
They established the West African country of Liberia (sounds like
Liberty!) in 1822.
Many white supporters of this didn’t believe in racial
equality.
Many wanted to rid the US of slavery & African Americans.
Some felt this would be good and not allow for slave revolts!
Tended to offend African Americans.
By 1831, only about 1,400 free African Americans had
migrated to Liberia.
Radical Abolitionism
Most famous was William Lloyd Garrison.
We will learn about him later.
Another famous abolitionist was Frederick
Douglass.
We will learn about him later as well.
Divisions Among Abolitionists
1.) Divisions over Women’s Participation
Most Americans didn’t approve of women’s
participation in politics.
2.) Divisions over Race
For Af Amers the movement was personal and had an
urgency which many white people didn’t understand.
Some black reformers felt that white reformers regarded them
as inferior.
“We find ourselves occupying the very same position in
relation to our Anti-Slavery friends, as we do in relation to the
pro-slavery part of the community – a mere secondary,
underlining position.”
– Dr. Martin Delany, one of first black students to graduate from
Harvard
More Divisions of Abolitionists
3.) Divisions over Tactics
Some felt Constitution supported slavery, so
winning by passing new laws is pointless b/c
any new laws would be unconstitutional.
Some disagreed and wanted to focus on legal
means.
Whereas others will resort to violence!
The Underground RR
Some reformers relied on other means to attack
slavery, both legal and illegal.
Some risked their lives and created the
Underground RR – a network of escape routes
that provided protection and transportation for
slaves fleeing north to freedom.
Men & women acting as conductors acted as
guides to these escaped slaves.
Number of escaped slaves varies from 40-100,000.
Resistance to Abolitionism…
In the North?!?
Northern merchants were worried that the antislavery
movement would sour trade relations.
White workers and labor leaders feared competition from
escaped slaves willing to work for lower wages.
Many people did not want Af Amers in their community,
viewed them as socially inferior.
At public events of abolition, violence could erupt.
Stones and rotten eggs thrown at speakers
Voices drowned out with horns or drums.
Buildings were burnt down.
Sometimes people were shot and killed, like Elijay P. Lovejoy.
Opposition in the South
Most southerners were angered by the criticisms leveled at
slavery.
Attacks by abolitionists made many more southerners
determined to defend slavery.
It was very dangerous for southerners to speak against slavery.
Southern postmasters refused to deliver abolitionist
literature.
In 1836, southerners passed the GAG RULE, for the next
eight years prohibited antislavery petitions from being read
or acted upon in the House.
This was proof for abolitionists that slavery threatened the rights of
all Americans, white and black.
Section #3:
The Movement for Women’s Rights
Reformers believed that women were central to
success of a strong, democratic nation.
Some women suggested: start by reforming society
from within the home.
Cultural and Legal Limits on Women:
Many lower class women worked in factories.
Middle class women were freed from cooking and making
cloths, as more products appeared on shelves.
What should they do then?
Remain in the Home? Raise/educate children? Entertain
guests? Serve husbands? Do community service?
Certainly not dabble in politics!
Strict Legal Limitations
Women could not vote.
In most states, married women could not
own property.
Women, generally, could not keep money
they earned.
Instead they gave it to their husband or father.
Public Roles for Women
More women are becoming educated, more
grow eager to apply their knowledge and
skills beyond the home.
Became angry with laws/attitudes that
prevented them with doing so.
Participating in a movement!
1st taste of the world outside family.
Marched in parades, participated in boycotts, gave
lectures at public assemblies.
– Many women began to identify with each other in their
bad positions in society.
Fighting for Abolition
Battle to end slavery is how women emerged into
the political world.
Women compared their situation with that of
enslaved African Americans.
Neither group could vote or hold office.
Both were denied full rights of citizens.
Women began to attend meetings, gather petitions,
give public talks, and write pamphlets/books.
Male Opposition
Many men were horrified with this
development.
Some men found it distasteful for women to
be involved politically.
Many people did think that women were
more virtuous then men, but that they
should use it in the home rather than the
public.
A Women’s Rights Movement
1840 – first World Anti-Slavery Convention
in London.
American women were not allowed to attend.
Two delegates said, “hey, let’s throw our own!”
July 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York… first
women’s rights convention in US History.
Seneca Falls Convention
Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the
Declaration of Sentimate.
Excerpt from:
Declaration of Sentimates
“The history of mankind is a history of repeated
injuries and usurpations [seizure of power] on the
part of man toward women, …[to establish]
absolute tyranny over her…[B]ecause women do
feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and
fraudulently deprived of their most sacred moral
rights, we insist that they have immediate
admission to all the rights and privileges which
belong to them as citizens of the United States.”
Seneca Falls Convention
They passed 12
resolutions.
Signed by 68 women
and 32 men.
They urged women to
demand equal legal
and political rights.
9th resolution called
for women’s suffrage.
This resolution split
women all over the
world.
Slow Progress for Women’s Rights
The S.F. Convention did not trigger an immediate
downpour of rights.
Most Americans still felt as though women should do
improve society in the home only.
By 1890 – more than 2,500 women/year graduated
from college.
Educated women began to appear in jobs that they had
once been forbidden to do.
For African American women, the issue of
emancipation was more pressing as opposed to
women’s rights.