ANTEBELLUM CULTURE AND REFORM CHAPTER12 (SECTIONS 1& 2)

JIGSAW ACTIVITY Health Fads and Phrenology- pg.328-

329 Medical Science- pg. 329-330 Temperance- pg. 327-328 Revivalism, Morality, and Order- pg.

326-327

WHAT DOES ANTEBELLUM REFER TO? Origin: Latin ante bellum before the

war First Known Use: circa 1847 Webster’s definition: existing before a

war; especially : existing before the American Civil War

MATCHING

American Author Famous Work

James Fenimore Cooper The Raven

Henry David Thoreau Moby Dick

Edgar Allen Poe Civil Disobedience

Ralph Waldo Emerson The Last of the Mohicans

Herman Mellville Nature

Match the author in the left column to the their famous work in the right column

Herman Melville-Moby Dick James Fenimore

Cooper- The Last of the Mohicans

Ralph Waldo Emerson- Nature

Henry David Thoreau- Civil Disobedience (this work influenced Gandhi and MLK Jr.)

Edgar Allen Poe –The Raven

REMAKING SOCIETY “The simultaneous efforts to liberate the

individual and impose order on a changing world also helped create a wide range of new movements to remake society…” (326)

By 1830’s these movements took the form of organized reform societies

NEW REFORM MOVEMENTS New organizations formed for a wide

range of issues: “temperance; education; peace; the care of the poor, the handicapped, and the mentally ill; the treatment of criminals; the rights of women,” and more

What do you notice about this list?•These issues from the past are presently debated today as well; they are universal issues

REVIVALISM, MORALITY, AND ORDER Philosophy of reform several different sources Transcendentalists- rejected Calvinist

doctrines (predestination) Included Thoreau and Emerson

2nd Protestant revivalism-began with Second Great Awakening Evolved into a powerful reform movement Theologically different than transcendentalism but

alike in that they both felt every individual was capable of salvation

CHARLES GRANDISON FINNEY Evangelist Presbyterian Minister

Most influential revival leader of the 1820s-1830s

Preached that each person had capacity to experience spiritual rebirth and salvation

Revival of faith did not depend on a miracle from God (could be created by individual effort)

CHARLES GRANDISON FINNEY

CHARLES GRANDISON FINNEY Revivals in “burned-over district” in

upstate NY Experienced economic change (where Erie

Canal had been built). Successful among those who felt

threatened by change (including the prosperous worried about social changes), and women

THE TEMPERANCE CRUSADE Alcohol seen as responsible for crime,

disorder, poverty. Large problem in West where farmers made

extra grain into whiskey, in East as leisure activity.

Average male in 1830s drank three times as much alcohol as the average person today

Trying to impose discipline on society Disturbing to old residents of communities

HEALTH FADS AND PHRENOLOGY Interest in individual + social perfection

Led to new health theories Also threat to public health by cholera epidemics in

1830s/40s led to city health boards Since boards found few solutions Americans

turned toward nonscientific theories to improve health

“water cure (hydrotherapy)” German “phrenology” in 1830s through efforts of

Fowler brothers- shape and regions of skull was an indicator of character + intelligence

SYLVESTER GRAHAM

DID YOU KNOW? Sylvester Graham

Connecticut born Presbyterian minister

Committed reformer Won followers with prescriptions

for eating fruits, vegetables, and bread made from coarsely ground flour instead of meat.

Like dietary theories today Graham Cracker named after a

type of flour named for him.

MEDICAL SCIENCE Science of medicine lagged behind

other technology. Scientific advances due to lack of

regulation led many poorly educated people to be physicians

Absence of basic knowledge of disease- vaccination

Anesthesia result of luck vs. study William Morton- New England dentist looking

for ways to help patients endure the pulling of teeth

EARLY DENTISTRY (WILLIAM MORTON)

MEDICAL SCIENCE Without knowledge of scientific

methods and experimentation little was learned about treating and the transmission of disease

Prestige of the profession, therefore remained low Was for many people a career of last resort

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES Boston essayist, poet, and physician

Published his findings from a study of large numbers of cases of “Puerperal Fever” (septicemia in children)

Concluded that disease could be transmitted from one person to another

At the time this theory was criticized but was later validated by a Hungarian physician

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES SR.

REFORMING EDUCATION Reform toward universal public education- by 1830 no state had a public education

system (some limited state versions [MA, ect.])

reflection of new belief of innate capacity of every person, society’s obligation to tap that, expose kids to social values

HORACE MANN Greatest reformer- educated electorate

essential to work free political system Academic year lengthened 6 months better teacher salaries + training (2x)

1850s tax-supported elementary schools in all states

Quality of education varied widely- Horace Mann’s MA professional + trained, elsewhere some barely literate, limited funding West dispersed pop=less opportunity, South blacks barred from formal education only 1/3 children nationwide in school

School reform achievements: US literacy rate highest in world, new emphasis led to new institutions to help handicapped Perkins School for the blind (Boston)

School efforts to impose set of social values on children seen as important in industrial nation Thrift order Discipline Punctuality respect for authority

REHABILITATION

“Asylums” for criminals + mentally ill. Antiquated (old) jails replaced w/ new penitentiaries and mental

institutions jailing debtors + paupers (very poor person) decreased

Reform & rehabilitate inmates- rigid discipline to curb criminal “laxness”, solitary confinement to contemplate crimes. Overcrowding became problem-rehabilitation became less of a goal

Idea- properly structured institution to prevent moral failure + rescue people from failure led to orphanages, almshouses for poor, homes for “friendless women”

to prevent prostitution

THE INDIAN RESERVATION Main US Indian policy had been

relocation to make way for expanding white civilization

Reform led to idea of reservation- enclosed area for Indians to live in isolation from white society

Served economic interest of whites, but also attempt to teach ways of civilization in protected setting

THE RISE OF FEMINISM Women 1830s/40s had to deal w/ traditional limitations and now “Separate

Spheres” The notion of separate spheres dictates that men, based primarily on their

biological makeup as well as the will of God, inhabit the public sphere – the world of politics, economy, commerce, and law.

Women's "proper sphere", according to the ideology, is the private realm of domestic life, child-rearing, housekeeping, and religious education.

Resentment over limitations. Leaders of women’s movement (Grimke sisters, Stowe sisters, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Dorothy Dix) began to draw connections between their abolitionist ideas and plight of women

1848 organized convention at Seneca Falls, NY to discuss women’s rights- led to “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” stating all men + women equal, call for women’s suffrage. Many women in feminist movement Quaker

LUCRETIA MOTT

GRIMKE SISTERS

Angelina Sarah

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON & SUSAN B. ANTHONY

THE RISE OF FEMINISM (CONTINUED) Progress limited in antebellum yrs- only

few became physicians, ministers

Women benefited from association w/ other reform movements (very impt abolition), but led some to consider their demands secondary to slave rights

THE CRUSADE AGAINST SLAVERY Antislavery movement not new to the

mid-nineteenth century First ever slave revolt in North America

1526 Efforts even before the revolution to

limit and even eliminate the institution These efforts helped end slavery for

most of the North by the end of the 18th century

WHAT IS MANUMISSION? Manumission-is the act of a slave

owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the

passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will

EARLY OPPOSITION TO SLAVERY Early 19th century opposition by genteel (proper or

refined) lot (1817) American Colonization Society- Virginians who wanted

manumission & transportation out of country but also maintain property rights by compensating slaveholder—1830 Liberia

Failed b/c not enough private + state funding, too many slaves to be possible, opposition from 3rd/4th generation Africans far removed from society + lands

By 1830 movement losing strength- colonization not viable, cotton boom in Deep South + planter commitment to “peculiar institution” led to dead end

GARRISON AND ABOLITIONISM William Lloyd Garrison employed by antislavery newspaper

(Genius of Universal Emancipation), but impatient w/ moderate tone + reform proposals

1831 founded his own paper called the Liberator should look from black perspective, shouldn’t talk in terms of damage to

white society. Reject “gradualism”, extend African Americans full rights of American citizens

Gained Northern following, founded New England Antislavery Society 1832, year later American Antislavery Society- membership grew rapidly

Growth b/c like other reform movements committed to unleashing individual human spirit, eliminate artificial social barriers

WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON

FREDERICK DOUGLASS Greatest abolitionist Frederick

Douglass- escaped slavery, lectured in NE. His newspaper North Star, autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845). Demanded freedom, but also social + economic equality

ANTI-ABOLITIONISM Both Northerners & southerners opposed abolition

Seen as threat to social system, feared war between sections & influx of blacks to North

Escalating violence against abolitionists 1830s- abolitionist headquarters “Temple of Liberty” in Philadelphia burned by mob, Garrison seized

Yet movement grew despite suggesting members strong-willed + passionate, great

courage and moral strength.

ABOLITIONISM DIVIDED By 1830s abolitionists faced serious internal strains + divisions.

Prompted b/c anti-abolitionist violence made some favor moderation radicalism of William Garrison and his attacks on slavery, opposition to

slavery, call for full equality for women, extreme pacifism, call for northern disunion from South. Moderates called for “moral suasion” of slaveholders, later political action

1839 Amistad- slaves seized ship tried to return to Africa. US navy captured ship. Supreme Court 1841 declared the Africans free

1842 Prigg v. Pennsylvania ruled states need not enforce 1793 law requiring return of fugitive slaves, “personal liberty laws” in northern states forbade officials to assist in capture + return of runaways

 

VOCABULARY What is the Difference between

Intrastate and Interstate commerce?

Intra- within a states borders (trade within the state)Inter- Within two or more states (Ex: From Pennsylvania top New York)

DIVIDED Nat’t govt pressured to abolish slavery in areas of federal govt

jurisdiction, prohibit interstate slave trade. No political party ever founded, but “free-soil” movement to keep slavery out of territories became popular

Some abolitionists violent, American Slavery as It Is: Testimony of A Thousand Witnesses (1839) distorted images of slavery

Most powerful abolitionist literature Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1851)- combined sentimental novel w/ political ideas of abolitionist. Story of good, kindly blacks victimized by cruel system movement. Brought message to new audience, but also inflamed sectional tensions to new level