American Culture Unit 4.9 Review

Flashcards covering key concepts from Unit 4.9 of American Culture, including major literary works, social movements, and figures of the antebellum period.

What was the purpose of Noah Webster's American Spelling Book?

To standardize American English spelling and pronunciation.

What literary works are attributed to Washington Irving?

Rip Van Winkle (1819) and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820).

What is the main idea of Transcendentalism?

Liberation from understanding to cultivate reasoning, allowing emotions and the soul to create an original relationship with the Universe.

According to Transcendentalist thinking, what truths must man acknowledge?

Moral truths that are intuitive, including the infinite benevolence of God, nature, and the divinity of man.

In 'Resistance to Civil Government,' what does Henry David Thoreau suggest is the duty of a just man?

To resist unjust laws and not pay taxes that support violence and oppression.

What was one goal of the Transcendentalist agenda?

To give freedom to the slave.

What did Thoreau express his desire to do by going to the woods?

To live deliberately and confront the essential facts of life.

Who criticized Transcendentalism and argued that the world is imperfect?

Nathaniel Hawthorne, an anti-Transcendentalist.

What prompted the rise of popular religion during the antebellum period?

The Second Great Awakening, which encouraged social reforms and redefining equality.

What was Horace Mann's contribution to American education?

He established teacher training programs and advocated for public education.

What concept explained the prescribed roles of women in the 19th century?

The 'separate spheres' concept, which confined women to domestic roles.

What did the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments aim to address?

Women's rights and the inequalities faced by women.

What did the Millerites believe about the second coming of Christ?

They predicted it would occur between spring 1843 and spring 1844, specifically on October 22, 1844.

What was the role of Sojourner Truth in the abolitionist movement?

She was an outspoken advocate against slavery and women's rights, noted for her famous speech 'Ain't I a Woman?'

What did Frederick Douglass advocate for in his writings?

The immediate emancipation of enslaved persons and equal rights for African Americans.

How did Harriet Tubman contribute to the abolitionist cause?

She helped over 300 slaves escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad.

What was the focus of the American Colonization Society?

The gradual emancipation of enslaved people and their resettlement in Liberia.

What did the American Temperance Society aim to address?

The reduction and prevention of alcohol consumption and its associated problems.

What is significant about the McGuffey Eclectic Readers?

They taught American values through religious parables and promoted middle-class morality.

What was the outcome of the abolitionist movement in the 1800s?

It ignited widespread debate over slavery and led to the formation of various anti-slavery organizations.