Chapter 15Chapter 15

The Ferment of Reform & The Ferment of Reform & Culture Culture

Second Great Second Great Awakening Awakening Wave of spiritual fervor Wave of spiritual fervor ““camp meetingscamp meetings””- thousands - thousands

gathered to listen to a preachergathered to listen to a preacher Boosted church membershipBoosted church membership Stimulated humanitarian reformsStimulated humanitarian reforms

– Missionary work Missionary work

Second Great Second Great Awakening Awakening Peter CartwrightPeter Cartwright

– Traveling preacherTraveling preacher– Called upon sinners to repent Called upon sinners to repent

Charles Grandison Finney Charles Grandison Finney

Second Great Second Great Awakening Awakening Feminization of religion Feminization of religion Middle class women- religious Middle class women- religious

enthusiasts enthusiasts – Majority of new church membersMajority of new church members

Female spiritual worthFemale spiritual worth

Denominational Denominational Diversity Diversity Second Great Awakening widened Second Great Awakening widened

the lines b/w religionsthe lines b/w religions Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Presbyterians,

Unitarians: wealthier classes of Unitarians: wealthier classes of society (untouched by SGA, east) society (untouched by SGA, east)

Methodists, Baptists: spawned by Methodists, Baptists: spawned by religious fervor, came from less religious fervor, came from less prosperous classes in S & Wprosperous classes in S & W

Desert Desert ““ZionZion”” in Utah in Utah

Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Church of Latter Day SaintsChurch of Latter Day Saints New religion- Joseph Smith New religion- Joseph Smith Opposition (polygamy) Opposition (polygamy) Brigham Young leads Mormons to Brigham Young leads Mormons to

Utah Utah

Transcendentalism Transcendentalism

Golden age in American literature Golden age in American literature Rejected John LockeRejected John Locke’’s theory that s theory that

knowledge comes to the mind knowledge comes to the mind from the sensesfrom the senses– Truth Truth ““transcendstranscends”” the senses: it the senses: it

cannot be found through cannot be found through observation alone observation alone

Self-reliance & self-discipline Self-reliance & self-discipline

Transcendentalism Transcendentalism

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson– Poet & philosopher Poet & philosopher – Stressed self-reliance & self-Stressed self-reliance & self-

confidence confidence – Outspoken critic of slavery Outspoken critic of slavery

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau– Poet, mystic, non-conformistPoet, mystic, non-conformist– Truth through study & meditation Truth through study & meditation

Education ReformEducation Reform Tax-supported public education came Tax-supported public education came

about. about. educate their children because the educate their children because the

children were the future. children were the future. Not very many schools in the U.S. Not very many schools in the U.S.

because of their high costs to because of their high costs to communities.communities.

Horace Mann- Horace Mann- campaigned effectively campaigned effectively for a better schooling system.for a better schooling system.

Higher Goals for Higher Goals for Higher LearningHigher Learning Noah Webster- Noah Webster- ““Schoolmaster of the Schoolmaster of the

RepublicRepublic””– Dictionary published in 1828Dictionary published in 1828

SGA led to small, denominational, SGA led to small, denominational, liberal arts colleges in the South & liberal arts colleges in the South & WestWest– Tradition-bound curriculumTradition-bound curriculum

First state-supported universities First state-supported universities Higher education for women rose Higher education for women rose

An Age of Reform An Age of Reform

states gradually abolished states gradually abolished debtors' prisons debtors' prisons – Idea that prisons should reform as Idea that prisons should reform as

well as punish arosewell as punish arose Dorothy DixDorothy Dix- released a report - released a report

on insanity and asylums; on insanity and asylums; improved conditions for the improved conditions for the mentally ill.mentally ill.

Temperance Temperance

The problem of drinking was found in The problem of drinking was found in women, clergymen, and members of women, clergymen, and members of Congress. Congress. – American Temperance Society American Temperance Society – Problem of drinking tore down the family Problem of drinking tore down the family

structure.structure. Neal S. DowNeal S. Dow- "Father of Prohibition"; - "Father of Prohibition";

supported banning the manufacture supported banning the manufacture and sale of liquorand sale of liquor

Women in Revolt Women in Revolt role of women was to stay at home and role of women was to stay at home and

be subordinate to her husband.be subordinate to her husband.– Women could not vote and when married, Women could not vote and when married,

she could not retain her property. Women she could not retain her property. Women actually started to avoid marriage.actually started to avoid marriage.

Feminists met at Seneca Falls, New Feminists met at Seneca Falls, New York in a Woman's Rights Convention York in a Woman's Rights Convention in 1848; wrote The Declaration of in 1848; wrote The Declaration of Sentiments (Elizabeth Cady Stanton) Sentiments (Elizabeth Cady Stanton)

Scientific Achievement Scientific Achievement

Americans were more interested Americans were more interested in practical gadgets than in pure in practical gadgets than in pure science. by modern standards. science. by modern standards.

In the early 1840s, several In the early 1840s, several American doctors and dentists American doctors and dentists successfully used laughing gas successfully used laughing gas and ether as anesthetics.and ether as anesthetics.

New Literature New Literature The Blossoming of a National LiteratureThe Blossoming of a National Literature Most of the reading material in America Most of the reading material in America

was imported or taken from British was imported or taken from British sources.sources.

Washington Irving- the first American to Washington Irving- the first American to win international recognition as a win international recognition as a literary figure.literary figure.

James Fenimore Cooper- the first James Fenimore Cooper- the first American novelist to gain world fame.American novelist to gain world fame.

New Literature New Literature Edgar Allan Poe- wrote with a pessimistic Edgar Allan Poe- wrote with a pessimistic

tone, not like the literature at the time.tone, not like the literature at the time. Herman Melville- writer of the novel Herman Melville- writer of the novel

Moby Dick. Moby Dick. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- one of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- one of the

most famous poets to come from most famous poets to come from America wrote for the refined class; was America wrote for the refined class; was adopted by the less-cultured class.adopted by the less-cultured class.