Preview

Reform Movements

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1021 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Reform Movements
“Reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals”
Throughout the years of 1825-1850 America had undergone a dramatic conversion. These changes led to a tense relationship between the states and the federal government. During this period in America the education system was ineffective and religion was branching out in unorthodox ways that went against the norms of society. America was also experiencing an awe-inspiring reform that proved that the pen was truly indeed mightier than the sword. Transcendentalism began to flourish and expand ideals of educating the citizens such as, opening public schools. As a result of these changes, individuals began to develop their own ideas of how government should be run and their contribution to society. Women began to demand to have a voice on how the government treated them. They refused to conform any longer to be treated as second class citizens without a voice or right as to how the government impacts their everyday life. The need to seek life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness was not only for those with white skin. During this time slavery still was a major part of the south’s economy. The North and South were being divided by identifying who is worthy of pursuing these rights. During the creation of the Declaration of Independence, women and slaves were not included as those that were worthy of these rights. This was tearing the union apart. The North believed that blacks deserved the same basic rights and liberties as those of white skin. The South, held on to the belief that whites were superior to blacks. This conflict was literally splitting America at its poorly woven seams.
Substandard education was one of America’s challenges .Qualified educators were extremely difficult to find because most of the American population was un-educated. Most of who were women and freed blacks. Mary Lyon of New England believed everyone was entitled to an education. So, she established the Wheaton

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    While in the North, the whole situation was different. The north wanted the freeing of slaves because many of them participated in the Continental Army. The South, however, they saw slavery was fully important to the economy and they did not want to spare the free labor as the north was. That was one of the reasons for the black people to stand up for themselves.…

    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The other main reasons are the control of the government, economy, states' rights, abolitionism, and the election of 1860. Although the focus revolved around slavery a lot of the tension that led to the war was from how the South felt it had no power when it came to making decisions. “As new states were added to the Union, a series of compromises were arrived at to maintain an equal number of “free” and “slave” states” (Hickman 1). However; as new states were added they were all being declared “free” states without the South having any say in the matter. Fearing they were losing power the South turned to the states' rights argument, stating that the federal government didn't have the right to change the laws of slavery in states whom already own slaves (Ayers). Things grew worse during the abolitionist movements which called for an end for slavery, whether it be immediate or gradual. This caused many disputes among the people which often led to biblical disputes (Hickman1). Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin should the cruelty of the Fugitive Slave Act and gave support to the abolitionist movement. The election of 1860 was the final straw. With the election of Abraham Lincoln as president, they feared all was about to change. “The North with its growing population and increased electoral power had achieved what the South had always feared: complete control of the government by the free states”(Hickman 2). After the election the South immediately began to discuss seceding from the Union. The secession of the South was the ultimate leading factor for the North to go to war, in order to keep the country united…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The north and the south of America were separating before the civil war. The division was realized by the states' rights and differences over taxes. The essential driver of the division was the way that servitude was canceled in the northern states yet legitimate in the South. The United States had gained new regions in the west which prompted the open deliberation whether subjugation should in any case be allowed around there. The southerners expected that the legislature would think of new no slaveholding states.…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dred Scott Decision Essay

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The North and the South had very different views on slavery which only grew stronger and separated the two regions leading up to the Civil War. As the Union gained more land the big question was whether the new land would be considered a slave state or a free state. The South needed slaves to do hard labor on their land to keep the economy growing. The North did not have a need for slaves. They feared that allowing slavery in the North would increase large plantations in the area which would threaten their own growing industrial economy. An underlying issue with the South was the fear that the federal government would take control over the individual states and their rights, especially concerning slavery.…

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civil War Dbq Analysis

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Before Civil War began, even as the country was being set up with the Articles of Confederation, slavery was an issue that had to be dealt with. When the final vote for the ratification of the Constitution some states would not sign on it if slavery were made illegal. They decided to deal with it in twenty years. After the compromise of 1820 they limited slavery to the south, which would split the country into two for the next forty years. The South would feel that slavery was the best thing for the slave for it gave them something productive to do. The North however as a majority felt slavery as a horrible thing by the cruel ways the slave owners would treat and beat their slaves. There were also those who went and helped free and bring slaves…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reform movements like the Second Great Awakening, the temperance movement, abolitionist’s movement, and women’s rights movement started for many reasons. Firstly, the Second Great Awakening was created because of religious purposes and even helped form the Methodists and Baptist denominations. This movement also resulted in a large following from abolitionist, women, and individuals in support of the temperance movement. The temperance movement was created in order to control the amount of alcohol consumed and distributed within society. The abolitionist movement was created in an attempt to end slavery within the United States.…

    • 343 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reform DBQ Essay

    • 825 Words
    • 4 Pages

    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.…

    • 825 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They wanted to stop slavery from being spreaded into further territories into the U.S.. Once that was achieved there was a beginning of free states, that allowed slaves to become free and ended racial segregation. That and many more reason was the leading reason of the Civil War. The movement of free slaves also encouraged women to have equal rights, that can create leaders such as Sojourner Truth, an African American…

    • 363 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The validity of the statement, “Reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals” can be assessed regarding many reformations in the time period of 1825-1850 including the American temperance movement, the women’s rights movement, and the abolitionist reform. All of which very much expanded core democratic ideology, such as equality, liberty for all, and the pursuit of happiness. All these reforms share the qualities necessary to attempt to make the United States a more civilized, utopian society. Social reform was a necessity when it came to expanding democratic ideals.…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Although they still believed in keeping racism and segregation, the North still wanted to free slaves. Over time, the tension bubbled up so high that eventually, the country broke apart fighting. The fight was…

    • 2279 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Democratic ideals are either personal qualities or standards of government behavior that are felt to be essential to the continuation of a democratic policy. Democratic ideals led to Reform movements from 1825 to 1850 such as the 2nd great awakening and the change of views on slavery. The 2nd great awakening was the central of the rest of the reform movements and there were three steps to trying to abolish slavery.…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Continuity and variation in reform movements in America 1840-2000 There are a striking number of similarities between the reform movements for women and African Americans that span the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century in America. The reform movements began with the anti-slavery movement. In the anti-slavery movement, women started to speak out against the evils of slavery and found a confidence that allowed them to first question whether they were enjoying the rights of equality and justice for which the were advocating for slaves.…

    • 1827 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the 19th century there was five reform movements happening in the United States. There reforms being abolition, women’s rights, education, prison and asylums, and utopian movements. All in which it was causing America to change for the better. Although these reforms were caused for the best of the United States some people did not agree with them. Even though everyone had their own opinion over the five reform movements, at the end they all had a tremendous impact, as they are still important in today’s America history.…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sectionalism

    • 2402 Words
    • 10 Pages

    During the 1850's, slavery, a southern necessity both socially and economically, threatened the unity of our nation. The tension's were high between the North and South, and further increased as more and more factors contributed to the strain in the Union. As an outcome of these factors, small and big, sectional hatred began to arise and commenced the splitting of the nation; ultimately leading to the American Civil War.…

    • 2402 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The way I see it in my opinion I think they split for the freedom of slaves, but also the power between the states and the federal government. It think they split because of the slaves because some people wanted to keep slaves while the others wanted to free them. We could also see the spark of the war once they saw Abraham Lincoln become president since he was anti-slavery. They also split because they were arguing about who should have more power the states or the federal government. The people were really against this because some wanted the states to keep the power because they were scared of the federal government of becoming too strong in power.…

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays