Various reform movements and revolutions occurred in the time period between the years 1825 through 1850. Justice, freedom, liberty, equality, and the purist of happiness are all democratic values considered to enforce the reform movements of this time period. The democratic ideals tried to cut the social separation and discordance present in America mainly between the south and north sections. Originating from the Second Great Awaking with vast religious reinforcement democratic ideals spread through the new reform movements. Main movements that supported the democratic views included the Second Great Awaking revival, antislavery reform and more equal rights movements for women and men. The Second Great Awaking consisted of new applications of religion that deviated from rationalism, which sparked promotion of democracy and freedom. The message of salvation rather than condemnation was evident in this movement as spoken by Charles G. Finney. He sought to remove sin from reformed churches and organize sinners to unity and freedom (Doc B). This practice showed the crucial democratic point of equality as exemplified by the reformation …show more content…
Abolitionists based their decision of freeing slaves on core democratic beliefs that redeemed and reformed all humans into a rehabilitated country environment. Steps of democratic morals were seen through the reform in the American Colonization Society as they freed slaves back to Africa in order to cease white oppressive behaviors. Additionally the work of Fredrick Douglass and Lloyd Garrison lead to propaganda surfacing with slaves hoping for emancipation and freedom. The slave in the Engraving by Patrick Reason pleads, “Am I not a Woman and a Sister?” which displays the push toward sympathy and democratic views towards slavery. Along with new steps of reform the American Anti-Slavery Society aided in the gaining of equality between races and greatly advanced the democratic
Hatch’s notion that democratization stemmed from the Revolution does not lend enough light and clarity to The First Great Awakening of the 1740s. Like Paul Johnson, he sees it as the inverse of the Second Great Awakening. And yet, if the Revolution gave rise to the Second Great Awakening, then the First Great Awakening gave rise to the Revolution. It planted the first fruitful seeds of authoritarian struggle. For example, the way in which people worshipped denoted a social reality. The gentry sat up in front at church and the lower classes would sit closer to the back. This all changed with the Great Awakening. Social order deteriorated because worship was moved to a field to accommodate the masses of people who would listen to itinerant like George Whitfield. Whitfield created an open market for people about what or who they thought was best for their salvation of their soul. He believed that authority needed to be in alignment with the people’s notion of orthodoxy. His was a “market-based revivalism”. Despite the populous still submitting to authority in a particular sense, the revival was lead by ministers; they had begun to examine personal spiritual impulses and their value. Thanks to Whitfield, primacy was given to those who had divine inspiration rather than those who could get it. He began to subvert the social order since anyone could be an itinerant. Still, all of the socio-political manifestations of the First Great Awakening happened unknowingly. Those who led it never saw it through a secular lens and used it as a way to create chaos and gain power; there is no Nietzsche here. The revival of religiosity was always the primary goal. The Great Awakening looks back as much as it looks forward. It was never simply the Revolution working into religion, but a revolution that was set into motion almost forty years
The years between 1825-1850 were the years of the Jacksonian Democracy. During this time democratic ideals were expanded through equal rights movements and educational and religious reforms. The main goal of this era was to make society a better place for everyone. To better society there had to be change, change for more equality and freedom.
The Antebellum Era between the years of 1825 to 1850 was abundant with many reform movements that signified great change within the people of the nation. Although many of these changes were good and lasting reforms, extremists’ stark views did the contrary and inhibited change. Luckily, reform movements such as the women’s rights movement, the abolition of slavery, and temperance all led the nation in the right direction towards the expansion of democratic ideals. These ideals encompass the belief that all citizens are equal and are entitled to certain unalienable rights.
“The connection between the revivals of the Second Great Awakening and abolition was so strong that it would hardly be an overstatement to say that the revivals were responsible for antislavery becoming a radical national movement.” During the time period, evangelical religion underlay the culture of America to such an extent that the revivals of the 1830s resulted in “tangible” structures for social reform — the revivals touched many aspects of political and social life. The revivals implicitly created political obligations and led to a demand for an activist
The Effects of American Reform Movements in the 1900s Living in the United States of America is all about opportunity. The opportunity to get a good job, make money, and lead a life of good quality; in other words, the opportunity to live, live, and live the Pursuit of Happiness. However, the opportunity for many people was not around throughout the 1800s. Certain groups of people did not hold the basic rights that were guaranteed by the Constitution. In fact, most of the people that had opportunity were the wealthy white men, and few other people ever had any chance to lead a good life.
The thesis of this book is that George Whitefield (1714-1770) changed the nature of Christianity by promoting and conducting mass revivals that exploited the weaknesses of institutional Christianity.
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the economy was booming, new technology flourished. The rapid industrialization brought achievement to the United States, however, it also caused several social problems. Wealth and power were concentrated in the hands of a few, and poverty and political corruption were widespread. As people became aware of these problems, a new reform group was created. Unlike populism, which had been a group of farmers grown desperate as the economy submerged into depression, the new reform movement arose from the educated middle class. These people were known as the progressives. The Progressive Movement was a movement that aimed at solving political, economic, and social problems. The Progressives were people from the middle class who had confidence that they could achieve social progress through political reform. The Progressives sought after changes and improvements in the society through laws and other federal actions.
While some citizens of the United States, between 1825 and 1850, believed that reform was foolish and that the nation should stick to its old conduct, reformists in this time period still sought to make the United States a more ideally democratic nation. This was an age of nationalism and pride, and where there was pride in one’s country, there was the aspiration to improve one’s country even further. Many new reformist and abolitionist groups began to form, all attempting to change aspects of the United States that the respective groups thought to be unfair or unjust. Some groups, such as lower and middle class women and immigrants, sought to improve rights within the county, while other reformers aspired to change the American education system into a more efficient way of teaching the county’s youth. Still other reform groups, particularly involved in the church and the second great awakening, wanted to change society as a whole. This was a time and age of change, and all these reforms were intended to contribute to the democratic way our country operated.
The antebellum period was full of social reform movements based on the urge to eradicate evil and improve human conditions in society. Despite the attempt to deal with a wide variety of reforms to provide positive changes to society these reform movements were met with varying degrees of success. This essay will focus on five of the major social reform movements of that era discussing their accomplishments, failures and impacts on America as a whole. They are the reforms of abolition, women’s suffrage, temperance, institutional and educational reforms. The reform movements of the 1830’s and 1840’s were largely due to humanitarian reasons because of a period of Enlightenment in the previous century which emphasized rational over irrational thought linking ideas about a responsibility to God and society to always improve.
Reform movements including religion, temperance, abolition, and women's rights sought to expand democratic ideals in the years 1825 to 1850. However, certain movements, such as nativism and utopias, failed to show the American emphasis on a democratic society. The reform movements were spurred by the Second Great Awakening, which began in New England in the late 1790's, and would eventually spread throughout the country. The Second Great Awakening differed from the First in that people were now believed to be able to choose whether or not to believe in God, as opposed to previous ideals based on Calvinism and predestination.
In this paper i’m going to be covering the importance and what the Second Great Awakening was as well as commenting on the great revival. The second great awakening was a reprise of the great awakening that happened in the early eighteenth century. It was marked on a personal based level. It was beginning to get bigger in many places and in several different active forms. In northern New England, there was a social activism that took place, the movement encouraged a large growth of all the newer denominations. The Second Great Awakening was a time of mythical and revival. Which was all within the newly formed nation of America. The British
During the reconstructive (1865 to 1877 following the American Civil War) and progressive era (from 1890-1920) there was several amendments that made and make America more democratic (relating to, or supporting democracy or its principles).
Slavery, society, and religion were key factors for democratic ideals in the time of the reform movements. Slavery was still common in the time of 1825-1850. Society was ruined due to drunks and not having a established prison. Religion wanted to make people better and make sinners good. Therefore it all lead to democratic ideals and to make more of a perfect society.
The Age of Reform throughout 1825-1850 was a great turning point for American society. The ideas and beliefs throughout the reform movements greatly expanded the democratic ideals. Reform movements in the United States sought to express ideas through religion and education, start movements through abolition and temperance acts, expand beliefs by caring for the insane, and take a stand by speaking up for personal rights .
The ways American culture became more democratic in the early nineteenth century were women gaining more responsibility, women acquired spiritual authority, and African Americans supported the suppression of slavery. Women gained more responsibility--namely, raising children differently --which had a positive impact. Women claiming spiritual authority--namely, women began to have religious roles--which ended traditional roles. After independence, many Americans in the northern states embraced a democratic republicanism that celebrated political equality and social mobility. These citizens, primarily members of the emerging middle class, redefined the nature of the family and of education by seeking egalitarian marriages and affectionate ways of rearing their children.