American Society in the Early 19th Century

A period in US history marked by rapid changes in economy, politics, demographics, and territory, resulting in a dynamic and complex society.

The belief that individuals are capable of improving themselves and society through moral action, often rooted in religious conviction.

A period of widespread religious revivalism that swept through the US, emphasizing personal experience and emotional engagement with the divine.

The belief that human society can be improved by eliminating vices and promoting moral behavior, often fueled by the religious fervor of the Second Great Awakening.

A period of significant westward expansion in the US, fueled by the desire for land, opportunity, and the belief in Manifest Destiny.

A key theme in the early 19th century, highlighting the belief that the US had a God-given mission to expand its territory and influence across North America.

A period of rapid industrial growth in the US, marked by new technologies, factories, and cities, leading to economic and social changes.

The spread of democratic ideals and practices in the US, leading to increased voting rights and political participation for white men.

Preachers who traveled on horseback, delivering sermons on the importance of spiritual and moral renewal.

Large, open-air gatherings where people met to experience religious revivals and conversions.

A period of significant economic and social change, marked by growth in industry, trade, and expansion westward.

The spread of Christian evangelicalism during the Second Great Awakening, marked by passionate preaching and emotional responses.

A significant early revival of the Second Great Awakening, held in Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801.

The practice of using emotional and expressive forms of worship, including shouting, jumping, and gesturing.

The belief that all people are equally capable of achieving salvation and that personal action plays a role in attaining it.

The move away from government-supported churches and towards a more free-market approach to religion.

The process of spreading religious beliefs and practices to new territories, often through itinerant preachers.

Traveling preachers who served as the primary force behind the spread of Methodism in the United States.

The theological belief that God has predetermined the fate of all individuals, with some chosen for salvation and others destined for damnation.

A region in western and central New York known for its intense religious revivalism during the Second Great Awakening.

A prominent revivalist preacher who gained prominence during the Second Great Awakening, known for his emotional and impactful sermons.

The practice of focusing on emotions and experiences in order to inspire religious conversion.

The idea that social problems in the United States and Europe were similar and could be addressed through collaboration.

A network of committed individuals who shared beliefs and sought to improve society by eliminating vices and promoting moral behavior.

The movement to end slavery, driven by moral and religious conviction, and characterized by transatlantic connections between reformers.

The demand for immediate emancipation of enslaved people, without any delay or compromise.

The use of transportation and printing technologies to spread ideas and connect reformers across the Atlantic.

The process of urbanization, industrialization, and class struggle that created social problems and motivated reformers.

The impact of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of capitalism on society, which led to concerns about social decline and moral decay.

The belief that society was in decline and needed to be restored to its former moral foundation.

The process of establishing and strengthening connections and collaborations between American and European reformers.

The practice of spreading Christianity and promoting moral behavior through religious missions.

The practice of using new printing technologies to make information widely accessible and influence public opinion.

The use of new technologies like steamboats, canals, and railroads to connect people and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

The process of religious revivalism, often marked by fervent preaching and emotional experiences.

The process of transforming societies through industrialization, urbanization, and social reforms.

A group of Protestant churches that emerged during the Second Great Awakening, known for their emphasis on personal piety, emotional preaching, and active evangelism.

A belief that individuals should experience a personal conversion to Christianity, often marked by dramatic emotional experiences.

A group of denominations that emphasized traditional theological doctrines and formal training for ministers.

The separation of a religious group into different factions, often due to disagreements over doctrine or practices.

A movement that sought to restore Christianity to its original form as found in the New Testament, rejecting later interpretations and practices.

A group of religious leaders who claimed to receive direct messages from God, often establishing new churches and teachings.

The founder of Mormonism, who claimed to have received divine revelations that led to the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The sacred text of Mormonism, believed to contain the history of an ancient civilization in the Americas.

A practice in Mormonism that involved marrying multiple wives, which was controversial and eventually contributed to Joseph Smith's death.

A religious community founded by John Humphrey Noyes, known for its practice of communal living and 'complex marriage', a form of free love.

Itinerant preachers who traveled across the US, holding religious revivals and offering spiritual guidance to communities.

New religious movement rejecting key aspects of traditional Protestant beliefs, emphasizing reason and individual interpretation of scripture.

A group of intellectuals and writers who emphasized individual intuition and spiritual experience, promoting artistic expression and self-reliance.

A collection of essays and speeches by Ralph Waldo Emerson, advocating for self-reliance, individual intuition, and a break from European intellectual dependence.

Groups organized to address social issues, often led by ministers and middle-class women, promoting religious teachings, relief efforts, and social reform.

A movement advocating for the reduction of alcohol consumption, driven by religious concerns about its impact on social morality.

A group of activists working to end slavery in the US, driven by moral and religious convictions and fueled by the Second Great Awakening.

Advocating for greater rights and opportunities for women, including political and economic equality, often linked to religious and moral values.

A social philosophy emphasizing cooperation and communal living, challenging capitalist principles and promoting alternative social structures.

A utopian community founded by Transcendentalists in the 1840s, aiming to create a model society based on cooperative principles.

The Second Great Awakening inspired American evangelicals to spread their faith both within the country and abroad. An example of missionary society membership from 1848 depicts how member contributions were used: a hand of Providence guides an angel holding a Bible, symbolizing divine guidance; a collapsing mosque in the background represents the conversion or decline of other religions; an African family on the left is praying, while a minister preaches to Native Americans on the right.

A period of widespread religious revivalism in the United States characterized by passionate preaching, emotional experiences, and personal engagement with God.

The belief that individuals are capable of improving society and themselves through moral action, often fueled by religious conviction.

The belief that the United States had a divine mission to expand its territory across North America, often used to justify westward expansion.

The belief that human society can be improved by eliminating vices and promoting moral conduct, often driven by the fervor of the Second Great Awakening.

A belief that truly converted Christians should strive to live without sin and reflect God's perfection; fueled reform movements.

The idea that true Christianity involves selfless love and concern for others, driving many evangelicals to social reform.

A belief that Christ's return would follow a period of peace and social progress, motivating Christians to improve the world.

A social reform movement focused on reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, fueled by evangelicals and driven by concerns about morality.

A social reform movement focused on abolishing alcohol consumption, often involving public lectures, literature campaigns, and religious revivals.

The term used to describe the group participating in the Temperance Crusade, highlighting their commitment to abstaining from alcohol.

A belief that individuals have the power to make moral decisions and actively improve themselves and their community.

The belief that people can and should work to improve society through their actions and decisions, often driven by religious values.

The belief that individuals can improve society through moral actions, often rooted in religious conviction and a desire to help the less fortunate.

The spread of Christian beliefs through missionary work, often seen as a way to both spread the gospel and civilize others.

A period of time where middle-class Americans, driven by their religious convictions, sought to improve society through various reform movements. This included efforts to reduce alcohol consumption, combat poverty, spread Christianity, and educate the public.

The systematic removal of Native American tribes from their eastern lands to territories west of the Mississippi River, often through force and driven by the desire for more land for European settlers.

The belief that Native Americans were capable of becoming civilized through Christianity and the adoption of American cultural values, a perspective often held by missionaries who sought to reform them.

The 1832 Supreme Court case that ruled that the state of Georgia could not assert sovereignty over Cherokee territory, a landmark victory for Native American rights but ultimately ignored by the federal government.

A key figure in the movement against Indian removal, who used the moral arguments of the mission movement to argue against forcibly relocating Native Americans.

The historical event where Native American tribes were forced to relocate westward, resulting in hardship and countless deaths. This was a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

A pioneer in women's activism and education, who led the first major petition campaign by American women against Indian removal, drawing on her connections to the mission movement.

Activism by American women to influence government policies, notably seen in their efforts to oppose Indian removal.

The act of writing and distributing petitions to the government to advocate for change, a common tactic used by American women in their fight against Indian removal.

The use of religious and moral arguments to advocate for political change, as seen in the efforts to oppose Indian removal.

The use of history and legal precedent to argue for a particular political position, as seen in Jeremiah Evarts' use of treaty law to oppose Indian removal.

The belief that slavery was the most egregious offense against God and the most significant moral stain on the United States, rooted in revivalist doctrines of salvation, perfectionism, and disinterested benevolence.

The idea that enslaved people should be immediately freed without any conditions, a radical shift from earlier approaches like gradual emancipation and colonization.

The expectation of women in the early 19th century to be pure, pious, submissive, and domestic, seen as vital for maintaining the integrity and moral well-being of the family and society.

A strategy employed by abolitionists to persuade slaveholders to release their enslaved workers by appealing to their Christian conscience and sense of moral responsibility.

A set of expectations that defined the ideal woman as pious, pure, submissive, and domestic, emphasizing her role as a caregiver and moral leader within the family.

A publication established in 1831 by William Lloyd Garrison to advocate for immediate emancipation and Black citizenship, sparking a powerful interracial crusade.

The legal doctrine that placed a married woman under the control of her husband, giving him legal authority over her property, earnings, and even her children.

An organization founded in 1833 by abolitionist reformers from ten states, committed to immediate emancipation and drawing inspiration from both the Declaration of Independence and the values of Christian faith.

The practice of using various methods to spread abolitionist messages, including public speeches, pamphlets, newspapers, and petitions, reaching a wide audience in the North and challenging Southern enslavers.

Abolitionists actively engaged in establishing educational institutions, religious gatherings, and community organizations for Black Americans, advocating for racial equality and challenging racial prejudice.

The belief that women were responsible for ensuring the moral well-being of society, particularly within the home and regarding issues like labor laws and prison reform.

The use of powerful, emotional slave narratives to expose the atrocities of slavery and awaken the conscience of white Americans, sparking empathy and prompting action.

The movement advocating for increased access to education for women, arguing that an educated mother could provide better care and instruction for her children.

The use of the US Postal Service in 1835 to send messages to Southern slaveholders, urging them to embrace emancipation and save their souls by releasing their enslaved laborers.

The practice of women using their right to petition as a form of political engagement, sending letters to government officials to express their concerns and advocate for change.

A significant campaign in 1836 where abolitionists gathered thousands of petitions advocating for the end of slavery, presenting them to Congress, and demanding their consideration.

The Grimké sisters, Sarah and Angelina, who used their platform to speak out against slavery and advocate for the rights of enslaved people.

The merging of the abolitionist movement and women's rights advocacy, recognizing the interconnectedness of social injustices faced by women and enslaved people.

Opposition to abolitionists, who were seen as radical and disruptive, threatening national unity and igniting sectional tensions.

The silencing of abolitionist voices in Congress through the passage of a controversial rule in 1836, prohibiting any discussion of abolitionist petitions.

The World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, where women delegates were excluded from participating and voting, highlighting the inequalities faced by women in the movement.

The Seneca Falls Convention, a gathering of women's rights advocates who drafted the Declaration of Sentiments, outlining a range of issues like property rights, access to professions, and the right to vote.

The aggressive suppression of antislavery activism in the South, fueled by fears of abolitionist influence and the belief that they incited slave rebellions.

The participation of women as speakers and activists within the abolitionist movement, challenging traditional gender roles and raising concerns about the role of women in public life.

The document written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, that outlined the grievances and goals of the early women's rights movement.

The fight against various forms of discrimination against women, such as limitations in education, access to professions, and unequal pay.

The splintering of the abolitionist movement due to internal disagreements and external opposition, leading to a loss of unity and direction.

A movement that believed the U.S. Constitution was fundamentally pro-slavery and that the existing political system was irredeemable.

A group of abolitionists who believed the U.S. Constitution was actually an antislavery document and that slavery could be abolished through the national political system.

The formation of the Liberty Party in 1839, which aimed to abolish slavery through political action.

A split within the abolitionist movement over the issue of women's rights and leadership roles.

A new abolitionist society formed in 1840 by those who opposed the American Anti-Slavery Society's stance on women's rights and leadership.

Shifting abolitionist strategies from primarily moral persuasion to include direct action and resistance.

The publication of Frederick Douglass's autobiography in 1845, which provided a powerful firsthand account of slavery and galvanized the abolitionist movement.

Increased support for runaway enslaved people and the establishment of international networks to fight slavery.

The strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which made it more difficult for enslaved people to escape and harsher for those who helped them.

Growing violence and tensions surrounding slavery throughout the 1850s, especially in the North and West.

John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859, a violent attempt to spark a slave rebellion.

The belief that the family and home were foundational to moral virtue and influence, often used to justify women's confinement to the domestic sphere.

The process by which women embraced the domestic sphere ideology and used it to create a public role for themselves.

The influence of the Second Great Awakening and new educational opportunities allowed women to leave their homes and participate in public life.

Women's growing participation in social movements like antislavery and reform, challenging traditional gender roles and expanding their sphere of influence.

The belief that humans are free to choose their own destiny, including their spiritual path, emphasizing personal responsibility in salvation.

A document that condemned the hypocrisy of American claims of freedom and Christianity, exposing the injustices faced by African Americans.