Unit 6
Southern Cities
Charleston, Savanah, New Orleans, Richmond VA
Pietists
German speaking immigrants who went off to found communities where they could preserve their language, communities, and life style → the Ephrata Colonist in PA and the Zoar in Ohio.
American Peace Society 1828 William Ladd
He did not like idea of war, they thought about having an international society or organization that would work to keep peace in all countries (like League of Nations!)
Margret Fuller
edited the Dial (a transcendentalist newspaper) → prominent figure in the transcendentalist movement
Brook Farm 1841
established by 2 friends of Ralph Waldo Emmerson. They wanted to integrate "intellectual and manual labor" → writers went to live at brook farm, they would farm and share intellectual ideas. These writers were not very good at farming and did not have a lot of enthusiasm about it → fail
1855 MA
first state to outlaw segregation in education
Charles Finney
most famous, incredibly awesome teacher. 1. Rochester NY - One of the things that religion does is that it brings certainty to people's lives. Some leading members of Rochester's community invite Finney to give a sermon. It was one of the "greatest revivals" of the second great awakening. Everyone in Rochester became entrapped in the religious revival. He taught they were not passive objects of God's plan, but that salvation was only the beginning of the religious experience.
the utility of benevolence
not only individual reformation, but a commitment to reform society.
Invisible Churches
on Sunday mornings, the master forced the slaves to go to a white master's church → religion is social control, because priests were teaching them to be obedient. At night, slave took part in the invisible church where slaves practiced their own religion. Black Christianity - African-ring-shout dance, sing songs in the fields (spirituals), the slaves supported each other
Oberland College
opened its doors to black males in 1835 opened its door to women in 1837
The poor
people did not like imprisonment for debt, but it continues to exist for a while, and the prisons were horrific. By the 1830s, there was no more imprisonment for debt → result of age of Jacksonian democracy (all white men got the right to vote → pressure on state legislatures where imprisonment for debt existed). They worked to soften criminal codes in the various states → reduce the number of things at which you could be put to death and forbade brutal punishments but with respect to prison life. Idea of making prisons a place not where people were punished, but they were reformed. prisons actually became reformatories → penitentiary- prisoner is supposed to repent of his crimes (called a penetrant)
1848 Seneca Falls Convention NY
push hard for women's rights, Mont and Staton wrote a list of women's grievances (couldn't control their property after marriage, no state allowed a married woman to control her owning, ect) the convention approved a document that was modeled after the declaration of independence Declaration of Sentiments ("it is a self evident truth that all men and woman are created equal") i. women deserved equal opportunities in education, work, before the law
Amelia Bloomer
revolted against the trend of female style (because clothes for women were uncomfortable and unpractical)
Robert Owen/ New Harmony
saw how miserable life as for factory workers → he established utopian society in New Harmony Indiana. At New Harmony, there would be healthy work for all, good schools for kids, everyone would be well off. The problem was that there was little harmony. It was over crowded (about 1000), some people were uncooperative and didn't follow the rules, there were some that were lazy. Only lasts a few years
Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
she is the first female graduate of a medical college
Yomen farmers
small, subsistence farmers (not farming to make a profit)
Ante Bellum South
south before the civil war
Split in Churches 1845
southern Baptist and Methodist had split from the northern Baptist and Methodist over the issue of slavery i. first the churches split, then the political party splits, then the union splits
Abolition tied with Women's Rights
when people like Kelley and the Grimke's were working in the abolitionist movement, they had a growing awareness of the oppression of women and how similar it was to slavery. "In striving to strike his iron off we found that we were manacled ourselves." → discovered that they were themselves treated like slaves. The more active they became, the more people argued that women were inferior to men.
1816 Colonization Movement
whites who want to end slavery, but solution as that free African American people should be sent back to Africa (Liberia [Monrovia as capitol]). These people were interested in having blacks go back to African because they were racist, the white people didn't want black people living in their neighborhoods. i. 15,000 ex slaves end up in Africa - most free slaves didn't want to go back to Africa a. 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation slaves, Africa was a foreign land to them
Discrimination within abolitionist
• White abolitionist: free or slave (black and white issue). Blacks: looked at discrimination → free African Americans are not treated coequally i. black abolitionist discrimination - anti-slavery business men did not give blacks jobs, even the anti-slavery society only offered partial membership to blacks
1840 Abbey Kelley
Abby Kelly is elected to the formerly all male committee that ran the American Anti-Slave society → split. People who believe in Garrison's approach (believe in working against slavery and other things and approach is moral suasion) and another group splits off and creates the liberty party (political means and focus only on slavery)
Role of White Southern Plantation Mistress
"most complete slave on the plantation". They had to oversee that the plantation itself had food, clothing, health (for slaves too). she was supposed to adhere to the cult of domesticity → suffered under a double standard of sexual morality
Utopian Communities
"one way to redeem a flawed society... was to create miniature utopian society" → physically separate yourself from society and try to create a perfect "heaven on earth" i. Onieta ii. Shakers iii. Piest iv. Mormons
The Second Great Awakening 1790 - 1840
(1790-1840s) a series of American religious revivals occurring throughout that eastern U.S.; these revivals encouraged a culture performing good deeds in exchange for salvation, and therefore became responsible for an upswing in prison reform, the temperance cause, the feminist movement, and abolitionism
Elizabeth Catie Stanton and Lakrishiea Mont
- hoped to be bale to attend the world anti-slavery convention in London, and they were compelled to sit behind curtains and they couldn't speak → forward thinking men treating others unequally
Denmark Vesey 1832
SC slave revolt
1831 William Lloyd Garrison the Liberator
1st abolitionist news paper. He believed in the utility of benevolence → worked to make society better. Stern person who was uncompromising and thought slavery needed to end immediately. "I do not wish to think, or speak, or write with moderation. Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm."
Structure of southern white society
75% of Ante bellum southern whites owned no slaves → ¾ white southerners did not own a slave at all → the planter aristocracy.
How people convinced lower class whites that slavery was a good thing
American dream for poor white southerner was to get a slave and move up the economic latter. (Bacon's rebellion in VA in 1676 → poor whites in the south took pride in their presumed racial superiority). Even the most retched white could take pride that they out- statused someone. Well to do white convinced poorer whites that slavery was a good idea because of the concept of "upward economic mobility, social prestige, and political influence" in white population
1833 Garisson the American Anti Slavery Society
Garrison founded the American anti-slave society 1833 immediate abolition of slavery (split on approach)
Women in the 2nd Great Awakening
Many women got caught up in revivalism and helped their husbands get caught up in it too i. Often because here was a message of self- worth → this appeals to women, women went out to reform the world → gave women a legitimate role outside the home in terms of making society better → end of Cult in Domesticity
William Miller/ Millerites
Millerites believed, just like Miller that Christ was coming back on a given day in 1840. → 7th day evangelists
1833 End of Slavery in Britain
Parliament passes a law ending slavery in British empire i. needed to end within the next 5-7 years - gradual vs. immediate end of slavery ii. slave owners in the British empire will get compensation for the loss of their slaves → pay owners back
Angelina and Sarah Grimke
Philadelphia Quakers who became part of the abolitionist movement who lectured to disapproving audience about abolitionism and women's rights. a. what happened if a woman married her husband and owned property before marriage → 1839 Mississippi is the first state to allow the wife to keep this property b. Sarah Grimke wrote a pamphlet arguing that men and women were equal iii. appearances on pubic platforms. And they also demanded the right to vote
Free Blacks
South Were not equal citizens "although we are not slaves, we are not yet free" → very limited rights and opportunities (among other things, not allowed to testify against whites in court). Blacks were forbidden to different 50 different trades, only shoe making and being barbers. a. poor whites and black whites could have grouped together because rich whites were keeping both groups economically down → rich whites play on racism to prevent this. → blacks live separately - the black ghetto 1. key institution is the church - the alpha and omega of all things, important for social/community reasons. North less than equal. Few northern states forbid entrance of free blacks most northern states denied black men the white to vote, some barred black children from public schools, some of the people who detested slavery didn't want to share their neighborhoods among black people. New Irish American immigrants have problem with them because they are competing for jobs.
Oneita Community/ Father Noyes (John Humphery) 1848 NY
These communities were communistic, and these little communes share everything because everyone worked for the benefit of the group. a. men and women are equal - this idea b. the members lived under a giant house in which over 50 people live. Children at the age of 3 were raised in the children's house where at the age of 14 got jobs in the community. c. Noyse believed that the key to happiness was the suppression of selflessness → people share everything, even sexual partners. Took part in mutual criticism. He also believed the competitive spirit from work and play d. Father Noyes was interested in manufacturing → steel animal traps. Then switch from silver wear → Onita silverware company
Defense of slavery
Until the 1830's, white plantation owners viewed slavery as a necessary evil. But there are two key events that change the attitudes of white southern plantation owners i. the liberator William Lloyd Garrison ii. Nat Turner's rebellion - 55 dead white upset white southerners so much that they started to change laws. a. illegal to free slaves (like GW) b. illegal to teach slaves how to read and write Not a necessary evil anymore but a positive good. They now defend slavery i. slavery is good because in the Bible, there was slavery ii. historical argument - some of the best civilization were built on slave labor iii. constitutional argument - the founding fathers believed in a country with slavery iv. the "scientific" arguments and the sociological arguments - reasoning on how black people are different than white people. Black people are "childlike" and need white people to take care of them. "The educated master is the slave's best friend upon earth" ~White plantation owner v. Northerners were hypocrites - they treat slaves better than the northerners treat "wage slaves"
Reform Movements
Why are people so interested in reforming society i. the 2nd great awakening ii. the puritan idea of American mission → like a "city upon a hill" - this idea that the greater American community should serve as a beacon on how everyone should behave to the world gets ingrained iii. the industrial revolution iv. certainty in changing times → religion → reform
Deism
accepts reason as the only guide to truth. Embraces the concept of God, but in the limited sense of creator i. reason vs. revelation, concept vs. Bible ii. endowed human beings with a compacity for moral behavior iii. liberal religion iv. helped inspire Unitarionism
The Hudson River Painting School
after the war of 1812, there was an upsurge in nationalism. American painters began to start to paint landscapes rather than portraits of people. "romantic mirroring of local landscapes" painting pictures of American making America's land look beautiful
The Temperance Movement/ 1826 American Temperance Society
alcohol was very present in American history. Americans drank heavily. It caused coercive affects → poverty crime illness insanity battered and corrupt families, and corrupt politics. But some Americans viewed the right to drink as a liberty. Temperance - the state of quality of being moderate in the use of alcoholic drinks, abstinence → definition exemplifies split opinion (some said moderation, some said abstinence). In 1826, we get the American temperance society - total abstinence. They used personal testimonies, graphic representation (picture of path of alcoholic). Use moral suasion. There is a split eventually not only to what it should be, but what the way should be --> moral suasion vs. political action. → try to use legal system, get laws passes i. main law of 1851 prohibited manufacture, sale, and use of intoxicating liquor ii. why did people join? - not to stop people from drinking; however, some historians "Some people joined the temperance crusade because it provided an opportunity for the protestant middle classes to exert some control over immigrants and lower classes" middle class controlling working class/ Americans vs. immigrants/ Protestants vs. Catholics. It provided "jobs, purpose, support, spouses, and relief from loneliness of a changing world"
1836 - 1844 the Gag Resolution
any anti-slavery appeal that arrived in congress automatically had to be tabled (could not be considered) JQA worked to repeal this
Questions reformers faced
attitudes first, then behavior? i. ex. Alcohol → try to convince people that alcohol is evil the people will stop drinking, or do you pass a law first then hope everyone will comet o believe that its bad have to figure out how many issues do they devote themselves to Should you try to improve on a partly effective system, or tear a system down and start from the bottom (now we here ay drake so sexy yass) i. what kind of tactic they want to use Most of the reforms involved work by middle class reformers. They weren't interested in factory reform, but this was carried out by the workers themselves (they were not successful, but they tried).
Shakers/ Mother Ann Lee
believed in separating themselves from the world and leading a simple god-like life. People surrendered all their worldly property to the community. Believed God had a dual personality, both male and female, and that Anne Lee was the female side of Christ. a. viewed sexuality of a sin → absolute chasity → existed for over 100 years though b. they believed in the full equality of men and women
Transcendentalists
believed that truth transcends the senses, it cannot be found by observation alone. look inside yourself and to nature. to acquaint a man with himself would inspire a man for reverence for himself and others → social reform They began to question modern society i. slavery ii. the new industrial age → the obsessive competitive pace for economic life the rising want of materialism the restricting conformity of social life iii. argued against conformity The Dial - a transcendentalist newpaper
Dorthea Dix
cared for mentally ill. They were treated like they were crazy, she thought that the mentally ill should not go to prison, but to special hospitals known as asylums. She put together a petition and appeared in front of the MA state legislatures, and they agreed to establish asylums
Joseph Smith/ Mormons 1830
claimed to have been visited by an angel named Maroni. The angel lead him to his backyard where he found a group of golden tablets 500 pages of the group of Mormons → group of latern days saints. They were a cooperative set, - voted the same way, militia which they trained for defesnses puspoes (because neighbors didn't like them because the Mormons tried to help local native Americans but neighbors didn't like them) Mormons of their unorthodox sexual behaviors - polygamy Brigham Young lead Mormons out to a place of the great salt lake. When they settled in 1847, Utah was part of Mexico. They established a cooperative commonwealth (everyone works together and share) it was also theocracy (leaders of the church were the leaders of the government). Called this land Deseret - built irrigation and made it flourish. Polygamy → kept them from being part of the US for a while → Utah wasn't allowed to join the union for a while.
Slave devices for interfering with the master
history of African American people have different theories of overcoming (like MLK vs. Malcom X!) i. folk tales - psychological release, make fun of masters ii. day to day acts of resistance - break tools, hide them, light property, pretending like you are ill, charades (black driver pretends to whip the slaves) iii. run away - 1) run away and don't get far → re-captured 2) run away but stay in the south and form maroons (communities of runaway slaves, esp. in Florida) 3) run away to the north, ultimately to Canada in Florida welcomed by the Seminol → the enemy of my enemy is my friend, form communities, inter-marry underground rail road alternatives - travel with master to north and escape, pretend to be free black and forge papers
Slaver were profitable as
i. a source of labor - in 1859, the average plantation slaves produced about $72 and spent $32 to take care of the slave ii. a capitol investment - some southerners considered slaves as property. In 1844 a "prime field hand" served for $600, in 1860 and prime field hand served for $1800. a. buy a slave acting like it a piece of stock. Slavery was important from an economic perspective. It also becomes relevant for social purposes as well.
Northern arguments against abolitionism
i. constitutional reason - northerners had been brought up to revere the constitution and they believed in the ideal of the union. They considered the constitution as sacred and integral as saving the union and was a lasting bargin that should not be upset ii. economic reasons - a. large economic stake with respect to the south. Many southerners had either borrowed money from northern bankers and/or owned money to northern bankers. Collectively, the south owed $300,000 to north. → If union splits, northern bankers and creditors worry that if the union splits, they will never get their money back. b. New England textile mills relied on southern cotton → northern factory workers' jobs depend on the steady supply on cotton (even poorer whites realize they depend on cotton)→ abolitionism might disrupt the labor supply in the south effecting the economic system in the north
The Liberalizing of Religion
i. enlightenment movement in Europe ii. there were more scientific discoveries during the 1700s a. some argue that religion spurred from a misunderstanding of where the world came from → people who are more scientifically come to believe that the world spurs from scientific explanations
Unitarians
incepted in MA, deny divinity of Christ, picture God as a loving father, stress good side of nature, emphasized rationality, optimistic religion. → argues that people could be forces for good.
New York Female Moral Reform Society
inspired by revivalism, they went to visit brothels in NYC where they tried to convince the women to stop being prostitutes and be born again into Protestantism.
Abby Kelley
joined William Lloyd Garrison's group (the American Anti-slavery society) that split when Kelley was named to the all male board. She came to reform thorough revivalism. Abby Kelley attended a convention and made a speech and a mob burned down the convention hall
Internal Slave Trade
just because external slave trade is banned in 1808 doesn't mean it doesn't happen internally. People sell their slaves "down the river" → 300,000 VA slaves are "sold down the river" to work on plantations in the far west. i. families are broken up
Henry David Thorough
lived in the woods and lived for 2 years by himself. When he gets out, he is horrified about the Mexican war because he thought it was an attempt to get more slaves for slave owners → he hated slavery → didn't pay his taxes because he didn't approve for unjust war i. "Civil Disobedience"- what you should do to lead a life of principle. (used by Ghandi) • It leads to a belief in self reliance (Emerson wrote an essay on self reliance), questioning authority, believed in the dignity of the individual, had great respect for all individuals → transcendentalist want to change society
Lucy Stone
maintained her maiden named after marriage → people who followed that example were called Lucy Stoners
Splits within the abolitionist movement
there were disagreements not only about when to get rid of slavery, but how to get rid of it i. Garrison believed in Moral suasion - overwhelming whites/ slave owners with information → recognize that it is evil → feel guilty. Out pouring of speeches, sermons, newspapers, flooded the country with information ii. Political Action - direct approach. Gather petitions and hand them to congress, form political parties, economic boycott (boycott goods made by slave labor) a. Wendell Philips - strict principle, eat no cane sugar nor wear any cotton cloth
Education in the 1800s
there were poor Americans who wanted to make sure that their children got an education and want ax supported schools. i. many wealthy Americans saw it in their own best interest to push for education for the poor. (Idealism + self interest) ii. it occurred to the owners that people in school would learn how to be organized and would learn capitalistic values and start as willing workers → enter work force with appreciation with American way of life.
