Social Movements 1820’s-1840’s

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS 1820’S-1840’S

Waves of religious excitement separated by long periods of religious calm

1740s: FIRST GREAT AWAKENING 1800-1850;s: SECOND GREAT

AWAKENING Enthusiasm; controversy; religious

experiment. Christian Perfectionism

• Belief that salvation can lead to a sinless life: “heaven on earth”

Millennialism• Christ’s return to earth will

begin a thousand year reign

2ND GREAT AWAKENING

Religion began to influence other ideals such as freedom from cruelty of war, discrimination, intoxicated drinking, and slavery

Idealistic religion on a utopian socialism, moral reform, and other ideas came to Christianity

2ND GREAT AWAKENING

Are people free to re-invent Religion?

William Ellery Channing developed concept of Unitarian Faith

Ralph Waldo Emerson became a Unitarian

UNITARIANISM: Rejects “Trinity” (insists

on “Unitary” God) Rejects Jesus’ “divinity” Rejects Centrality of

Jesus’ Crucifixion & Resurrection

Belief was in free will and possibility of salvation through good works

Insists on right of individual to mold his or her own religion

UNITARIANS

DIVISIVENESS CAUSED BY THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING

Second Great Awakening widened lines between class and region

Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Unitarians --> Wealthy classes and better-educated

Big Boundary between Northern Protestants, Methodists, and Baptists; and Southern Protestants, Methodists, and Baptists.

This split between North and Southern Faith and ideals in religion was considered the first sign of splitting. Later followed by a split in politics and the Union.

Protestants encouraged increase in educational learning and also importance of education in every household

Most importantly led to a moral reform movements, especially in the North

Who were they?• Intellectuals• Primarily from New England• Middle class

What did they believe?• Individualism• Self-reliance• Dissent• Non-conformity• “transcend” to the ideal

world of reality• Anti-industrialism

Prominent Transcendentalists

Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau Walt Whitman Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman Melville Edgar Allen Poe Emily Dickenson Margaret Fuller

TRANSCENDENTALISTS

TRANSCENDENTALISTS

Ralph Waldo Emerson “behind the concrete

world we can transcend to the ideal world of reality”

TRANSCENDENTALISTS

Henry David Thoreau Live life simply Chronicled his

experiences in Walden

TRANSCENDENTALISTS THE POETS

Walt Whitman

Emily Dickinson

Edgar Allen Poe

TRANSCENDENTALISTS THE NOVELISTS

Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman Melville

TRANSCENDENTALISTS

Margaret Fuller Believed in

transcendentalism for all Early advocate for

women’s rights

Who were they?• Transcendentalists looking

for the perfect society What did they believe?

• Communal societies• Each person contributes• Agricultural communities• Resources went to the group• Generally religious in nature• Education was important• Wanted to live life their way

Some of the most prominent utopias

Brook Farm, Massachusetts

Oneida, New York Also included some

religious groups Shakers Mormons

UTOPIANS

ONEIDA COMPLEX

ONEIDA COMMUNITY

GEORGE RIPLEY’S TRANSCENDENTALIST COMMUNE

SHAKER BELIEFS AND PRACTICESFROM MOTHER ANN LEE

• Pacificism• Celibacy• Work• Dance• Song• Collective Ownership

MOTHER ANN LEE

SHAKER COMMUNITIES

MORMONISM

1830- Joseph Smith, a visionary, reported an encounter with an angel

Deciphered the Book of Mormon from golden plates given to him

Founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Had leaders that were dedicated to free enterprise Voted as a unit and produced their own militia Moved from New York to Ohio Intended to build “Zion” in western Missouri Expelled from Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois Joseph Smith arrested; executed by mob Brigham Young becomes the leader Polygamy became a problem for the LDS Movement to Utah - use of irrigation system in desert of

Utah

MORMON LEADERS

Joseph Smith Brigham Young

Zion in the Wilderness

Petitioned for territory of “Deseret”

Granted Utah Territory

Had to renounce polygamy to earn statehood

Successful due to unity and leadership

GREAT MORMON TREK

Named after William Miller, self-taught Bible Scholar

Interpreted the Bible to mean that Christ would return to earth on October 22, 1843.

Called the “Great Disappointment”

The failure of Jesus to descend on schedule dampened but did not destroy the movement.

Determined the event happened in heaven not on earth

Seventh Day Adventists

MILLERITES

WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

Women pursued rights for themselves and others Issues

• Property ownership• Custodial rights• Marriage/Divorce rights• Legal rights in court• Suffrage

Other issues• Treatment of the less fortunate • Temperance• Slavery

DOROTHEA DIX

THE SENECA FALLS CONVENTION

THE SENECA FALLS CONVENTION

Organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York

Advocated equality in• Family• Education• Jobs• Religion• Morals

Issued a “Declaration of Sentiments” (modeled after the Declaration of Independence)

SUSAN B. ANTHONY

Advocated •Women’s suffrage• Temperance• Abolition of slavery

TEMPERANCE

Social movement against the use of alcohol

American Temperance Society formed in 1826

Felt it violated religion and morality

Was almost exclusively a Protestant issue (not Catholic)

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS CARTOON MEAN?

DEHUMANIZATION OF INDUSTRIALISM VS. UTOPIAN

IDEALS

HOW ARE WOMEN’S ROLES CHANGING AND HOW DOES IT

IMPACT SOCIETY?