Reforming SocietyChapter 8 Section 3

Reform Spirit

The reform movements of the mid-1800’s stemmed in large part from the revival of religious fervor (Second Great Awakening)› Revivalist preached the power of individuals to

improve themselves and their world Lyman Beecher-believed that it was the

nation’s citizens who would build a better nation benevolent societies emerged

1st Wanted to spread the word of God to nonbelievers and 2nd combat social problems

Lyman Beecher

Reform Spirit

Many of the reformers who made up the reform effort were women, most of whom were unmarried› Issues targeted by reform groups were

excessive drinking, prisons, and education

Temperance Movement

Alcohol= crime, poverty, and disorder Alcoholism was widespread during the

early 1800s› New reformers energized the temperance

movement=forming of temperance groups Preached the evils of alcohol Formed American Temperance Union

(1833) Pushed for laws to prohibit the sale of liquor

Maine in 1851 passed 1st state prohibition law

Temperance Movement

Temperance Movement

Prison Reforms

Reformers also considered ways to improve the prison system› Inmates= violent offenders, debtors, and mentally ill› By 1816, states began to provide new

facilities which created a better environment for inmates

› Main Prison reform=rehabilitating prisoners rather than just locking them up Established discipline through rigorous work new prisons= penitentiaries

Educational Reform

In early 1800’s reformers pushed for a system of public education› Gov’t funded and opened to all citizens

Horace Mann- leader of public education movement (MA senator)› Passed bill creating a state board of

education for Massachusetts MA quickly became the model for the public

school system in America

Horace Mann

School in the 1800’s

Educational Reform

Calvin Wiley= Horace Mann of South (NC)› Provided government support to establish

schools locally (through taxpayers)› By 1860, 2/3 of NC’s white children

attended school part of the year Only about 1/3 throughout the whole South African American children were excluded

almost entirely in the South

Calvin Wiley

Educational Reform Women’s Education

› Educating=only men› Women took advantage of the reform movement

to create more opportunities for themselves Emma Willard- founded a girls boarding school in

Vermont Consisted of cooking and etiquette, and academic subjects

Mary Lyon- opened 1st institution of higher education for women=Mount Holyoke Female Seminary

Elizabeth Blackwell- 1st woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S. or Europe Founded the New York Infirmary for Women and

Children=staffed entirely by women

Emma Willard

Elizabeth Blackwell

The Early Women’s Movement

Read pg. 281 & 282 Describe “True Womanhood”

Catherine Beecher-

Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady-

Seneca Fall Convention-