A.P. American History Essay #21
2. How were the reform movements of 1820-1860 in the United States related to the growth of industry and urban life?
During the years 1820-1860, America has received a wave of social reformation movements that were in correlation with the growth of industry and urban life. This time period, also known as the antebellum era (time period before the Civil War) brought movements such as: the temperance movement (1826-1840's), the movement for public asylums (1820's and 1830's), the public education movement/reform (1820-1860), the women's rights movement (1850's) and the anti-slavery movement. All of these movements were in sync with to the growth of industry and urban life. The temperance movement arose because of the urban life people faced in the city (alcoholics); the movement for public asylums arose because of the countless of people that had disabilities and the number of homeless people in urban areas; the women's rights movement arose because of the way men treated women in both industry and urban life; and the anti-slavery movement arose because of the way industry was treating them (such as too much work and no pay).
The temperance movement (1826) and the movement for public asylums (1820's and 1830's) both arose due to the conditions the people of the urban life were facing. The temperance movement arose because there were too many people drinking liquor excessively after working hours, and strengthened after the Irish immigrated to America during the 1830's (since many people stereotyped the Irish as excessive drinkers, the temperance movement was mostly aimed towards them). Many of the people that drank liquor claimed that it relieved their stress from working too much in the factories. However, once those people got home, they caused family problems, and sometimes cause crimes. This urban problem was a big dilemma, so people organized themselves and formed a temperance movement to ask