Reform DBQ Essay

The United States during the early decades of the nineteenth century sought to reform the United Staes and expand democratic ideas. There were many major reform movements that looked to expand democratic ideas, which include: establishing free (tax supported) schools, improving the treatment of the mentally ill, controlling or abolishing the sale of alcohol, gaining equal rights for women, and abolishing slavery. The reformers went out to “reform” the time period to greater the democratic ideals of the United States and make it a better place to live for the people, by the people.
As a America grew toward expanding ideas, the people focused on establishing public school for children. Horace Mann was the leader of the school movement. Mann wanted
The high rate of alcohol consumption prompted reformers to target alcohol which explains why it became the most popular reform movement. The Temperance Movement began in 1826 when Protestant ministers and other concerned with the high alcohol consumption rate founded the American Temperance Society. The Society persuaded alcohol drinkers to pledge to stop drinking. Politicians joined the Temperance Movement when they realized it would lower crime rates and higher employment with less people, mostly men, not drinking away their time at home (Doc
Garrison and other abolitionist founded the American Antislavery Society where they argued for “no union with slaveholders” which further moved the abolition movement to guarantee the right of African Americans to be independent. In addition to Garrison, Fredrick Douglas was also a major leader of African American rights. Douglas preached about freedom for all in his newspaper, The North Star, for his goal to abolish slavery and have equivalent values as the white population (Doc C). Throughout the time, the movement sought to expand the democratic ideal all men and women are created equal by ending forceful labor of African Americans, otherwise known as