Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Fires of PerfectionThe Fires of PerfectionPreview:Preview: “The Second Great Awakening unleashed a cascade of “The Second Great Awakening unleashed a cascade of reform during the 1820s and 1830s….Some reformers withdrew reform during the 1820s and 1830s….Some reformers withdrew from everyday life to create utopian communities; others sought from everyday life to create utopian communities; others sought humanitarian reforms such as temperance, educational humanitarian reforms such as temperance, educational improvement, women’s rights, and—most disruptive to the political improvement, women’s rights, and—most disruptive to the political system—the abolition of slavery.”system—the abolition of slavery.”

The Highlights:The Highlights: Revivalism and the Social OrderRevivalism and the Social Order Women’s SphereWomen’s Sphere American RomanticismAmerican Romanticism The Age of ReformThe Age of Reform AbolitionismAbolitionism Reform Shakes the Party System Reform Shakes the Party System

I.I. Religious Revival and Religious Revival and Reform PhilosophyReform Philosophy

Finney and the Second Great Finney and the Second Great AwakeningAwakening From the late 1790s to the late 1830s, a From the late 1790s to the late 1830s, a

wave of religious revivalism swept wave of religious revivalism swept through the United States.through the United States.

Personified by the flamboyant Charles Personified by the flamboyant Charles Finney who preached every night for six Finney who preached every night for six months in Rochester, New York.months in Rochester, New York.

Revivalists toned down the Calvinist Revivalists toned down the Calvinist rhetoric and preached a religion of rhetoric and preached a religion of inclusiveness.inclusiveness.

Women and RevivalismWomen and Revivalism Women’s roles in the Awakening led to Women’s roles in the Awakening led to

change in their social liveschange in their social lives

The Ideal of DomesticityThe Ideal of Domesticity Market growth put pressure on traditional Market growth put pressure on traditional

women’s roleswomen’s roles ““sisterhood” fueled reform movementssisterhood” fueled reform movements Domesticity prevalent in Europe, tooDomesticity prevalent in Europe, too

Women’s Sphere

The TranscendentalistsThe Transcendentalists A small but influential group of New England A small but influential group of New England

intellectuals who lived around Ralph Waldo intellectuals who lived around Ralph Waldo Emerson, the era’s foremost thinker.Emerson, the era’s foremost thinker.

The group was called Transcendentalists The group was called Transcendentalists because of their belief that truth was found in because of their belief that truth was found in intuition beyond the senses.intuition beyond the senses.

They questioned slavery and the pursuit of They questioned slavery and the pursuit of wealth.wealth.

Members included Nathanial Hawthorne and Members included Nathanial Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau (“On Civil Disobedience”)Henry David Thoreau (“On Civil Disobedience”)

III.III. Perfectionist Reform and Perfectionist Reform and UtopianismUtopianism

Utopian Communities: Utopian Communities: Oneida and the ShakersOneida and the Shakers Many reformers of the age sought to create the Many reformers of the age sought to create the

perfect representation in miniature of what life perfect representation in miniature of what life should be.should be.

John Humphrey Noyles founded a society of John Humphrey Noyles founded a society of “free love” and socialism at Oneida, New York.“free love” and socialism at Oneida, New York.

The Shakers believed in communal property, The Shakers believed in communal property, perfectionism, and celibacy.perfectionism, and celibacy.

Shaker worship featured a wild dance intended Shaker worship featured a wild dance intended to release sin from the body.to release sin from the body.

The Mormon ExperienceThe Mormon Experience Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day

Saints founded by Joseph Smith Saints founded by Joseph Smith Movement to restore the ancient churchMovement to restore the ancient church City of Zion: Nauvoo, IllinoisCity of Zion: Nauvoo, Illinois 1846: Mormons left Nauvoo with Brigham 1846: Mormons left Nauvoo with Brigham

Young and arrived in UtahYoung and arrived in Utah

Socialist CommunitiesSocialist Communities Robert Owen and New Harmony, IndianaRobert Owen and New Harmony, Indiana Brook Farm, Massachusetts organized by Brook Farm, Massachusetts organized by

George RipleyGeorge Ripley

IV. Reforming SocietyIV. Reforming Society

TemperanceTemperance Nineteenth century Americans drank to Nineteenth century Americans drank to

excess.excess. Early efforts at curbing the public’s Early efforts at curbing the public’s

consumption focused on moderation.consumption focused on moderation. The American Temperance Society The American Temperance Society

(1826) was dedicated to total abstinence.(1826) was dedicated to total abstinence. The Society successfully used revival The Society successfully used revival

techniques of the Second Great techniques of the Second Great Awakening to motivate “converts.”Awakening to motivate “converts.”

McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill

Humanizing the AsylumHumanizing the Asylum Some efforts of reform were not aimed at Some efforts of reform were not aimed at

the salvation of the individual but towards the salvation of the individual but towards organizations such as hospitals or organizations such as hospitals or asylums.asylums.

Dorothea Dix championed the cause of the Dorothea Dix championed the cause of the mentally ill, believing adequate facilities mentally ill, believing adequate facilities and proper living conditions would go far to and proper living conditions would go far to produce some sort of a “cure.”produce some sort of a “cure.”

Working-Class ReformWorking-Class Reform In America, the institution most in need of reform In America, the institution most in need of reform

was the factory.was the factory. The reform movement gradually was adapted to The reform movement gradually was adapted to

the plight of workers and trade unions began to the plight of workers and trade unions began to appear.appear.

Skilled workers began to organize to protect Skilled workers began to organize to protect their crafts and to negotiate better conditions.their crafts and to negotiate better conditions.

The National Trades Union (1834) was the first The National Trades Union (1834) was the first attempt at a nation-wide labor organization.attempt at a nation-wide labor organization.

Tensions Within the Tensions Within the Antislavery MovementAntislavery Movement William Lloyd Garrison published William Lloyd Garrison published The LiberatorThe Liberator

——America’s first antislavery journal and helped America’s first antislavery journal and helped establish the American Anti-Slavery Society.establish the American Anti-Slavery Society.

Garrison’s message was an immediate end to Garrison’s message was an immediate end to slavery with no conditions.slavery with no conditions.

The majority of abolitionists in America The majority of abolitionists in America disagreed on how to reform slavery in America; disagreed on how to reform slavery in America; most preferred religious education, political most preferred religious education, political action, boycotts of slave-harvested goods, or action, boycotts of slave-harvested goods, or downright rebellion.downright rebellion.

The Spread of AbolitionismThe Spread of Abolitionism Abolitionists concentrated in the NortheastAbolitionists concentrated in the Northeast Lane Seminary rebellion in 1834 a result of Lane Seminary rebellion in 1834 a result of

abolitionist fervor and reaction to itabolitionist fervor and reaction to it Many black abolitionists such as Sojourner Many black abolitionists such as Sojourner

Truth and David Walker were important in Truth and David Walker were important in the movementthe movement

Opponents and DivisionsOpponents and Divisions Divisions among abolitionists grew out of Divisions among abolitionists grew out of

disagreements over how best to end disagreements over how best to end slavery and reform societyslavery and reform society

Abolitionism and the Party SystemAbolitionism and the Party System 1835: censorship of abolitionist mailings 1835: censorship of abolitionist mailings

provoked nationwide controversyprovoked nationwide controversy ““gag rule” in 1836 tabled petitions dealing gag rule” in 1836 tabled petitions dealing

with slavery in the House of with slavery in the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

Liberty Party founded as the political arm Liberty Party founded as the political arm of the abolitionist movementof the abolitionist movement

“After two decades of fiery revivals, benevolent crusades, utopian experiments, and Transcendental philosophizing, the ferment of reform had spread through urban streets, canal town churches, frontier clearings, and the halls of Congress”(386).

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McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill

The Women’s Rights MovementThe Women’s Rights Movement Seneca Falls Convention (1848) raised the Seneca Falls Convention (1848) raised the

stature of the women’s rights movementstature of the women’s rights movement Few victories prior to 1860Few victories prior to 1860

The Schism of 1840The Schism of 1840 Division to allow female officeholders in Division to allow female officeholders in

the American Anti-Slavery Society caused the American Anti-Slavery Society caused a split in the abolitionist movementa split in the abolitionist movement

“When abolitionists divided over the issue of female participation, women found it easy to identify with situation of slaves, since both were victims of male tyranny”(383).

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Women and the Right to VoteWomen and the Right to Vote Participation in reform movements did not Participation in reform movements did not

lead to suffrage for womenlead to suffrage for women The Maine LawThe Maine Law

1851: first law prohibiting liquor sales passed 1851: first law prohibiting liquor sales passed in Mainein Maine

Other states followed, but most laws struck Other states followed, but most laws struck down by courtsdown by courts

Reform Shakes the Party System

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