Reform & Abolitionist Movement

Goal 2.5 & 2.6

Reform Society

Reform mov’t of mid-1800’s stemmed from religious growth. Ministers preached that citizens should improve society.

Most of reform leaders were women who wanted to correct the ills in society.

Dorothea Dix – reformed mental institutions.

Reform mov’t continued

Temperance – pushed for an end in alcohol consumption. Many reforms felt that alcohol caused more crime, disorder, and poverty than excessive drinking.

Men spent $ on alcohol instead of food, etc. They also abused their wives.

Some states passed laws to prohibit the sale of alcohol.

Reform mov’t con’t

Prisons- everyone was placed in the same jail regardless of their crime. Wanted to rehabilitating prisoners rather in locking them up.

Education Reform – push for public education. Increased # of voters and immigrants convinced people for the need of education. Democratic society can’t con’t if you don’t have public education.

Education Con’t

Horace Mann – Created state board of ed. He stepped down from state senator to b/c secretary of new board. He doubled teachers salaries, opened 50 H.S. and created “normal schools” – schools for teacher training. Later, his state, Mass. Passed mandatory school attendance law.

Noah Webster - published textbooks called “reading lessons” used to promote patriotism. Also wrote Webster Dictionary.

Early Women’s mov’t

“Cult of Domesticity” – belief that women should stay at home and raise kids. Women were so successful at home that they felt they should extend their ideas to the community.

Susan B. Anthony – an early women’s rights crusader. Wanted = rights and voting rights for women.

Women’s Rights

Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton – campaigned for women’s rights. Held a meeting called Seneca Falls Convention – marked the beginning of the organized women’s right mov’t.

At the meeting they issued a Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions – modeled after Dec. of Indep. Asked for women suffrage.

Abolitionist MovementAbolitionist Movement

• Abolitionist – Abolitionist – people who people who wanted to end slavery.wanted to end slavery.

• Terms that deal with abolition Terms that deal with abolition of slavery:of slavery:

Manumission, gradualism, Manumission, gradualism, American Colonization American Colonization Society, emancipation.Society, emancipation.

AbolitionistsAbolitionists

• William Lloyd Garrison –William Lloyd Garrison – published an antislavery published an antislavery newspaper newspaper Liberator. Liberator. He He called for an immediate end to called for an immediate end to slavery.slavery.

• Sarah and Angelina Grimke Sarah and Angelina Grimke “Grimke Sisters” –“Grimke Sisters” – women women who work for abolitionism as who work for abolitionism as well as women’s rights. Many well as women’s rights. Many women joined abolitionist women joined abolitionist mov’t hoping to gain rights for mov’t hoping to gain rights for themselves.themselves.

African American African American AbolitionistsAbolitionists• Fredrick Douglass – Fredrick Douglass –

run away slave who was run away slave who was outspoken on the outspoken on the ending slavery. He ending slavery. He published an antislavery published an antislavery newspaper newspaper Northstar.Northstar.

• Sojourner Truth – Sojourner Truth – freed slave from NY. freed slave from NY. Gave emotional Gave emotional speeches about slavery. speeches about slavery.

Reaction to abolitionist Reaction to abolitionist mov’tmov’t• North – many disapproved of North – many disapproved of

slavery, they were opposed slavery, they were opposed to abolitionism even more. to abolitionism even more. Free blacks would move N. Free blacks would move N. and work for less than the and work for less than the white men. Afraid it would white men. Afraid it would cause social disorder.cause social disorder.

• South – viewed slavery as a South – viewed slavery as a necessary evil. Wanted necessary evil. Wanted abolitionist newspaper shut abolitionist newspaper shut down. They blamed down. They blamed newspapers for slave newspapers for slave rebellions like Nat Turners.rebellions like Nat Turners.