Reform Movements & Industrialization

Temperance Movement

A social movement aimed at reducing the consumption of alcoholic beverages, evolving into a demand for abstinence in the 1820s.

American Temperance Society

Founded in the 1820s by revival preachers, this organization sought to encourage drinkers to limit alcohol consumption.

Prohibition

The nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages, influenced by the Temperance Movement.

Abolitionist Movements

Movements aimed at ending slavery, often influenced by Enlightenment ideas and moral beliefs about freedom.

William Lloyd Garrison

A prominent abolitionist who founded the American Anti-slavery Society and claimed the Constitution was pro-slavery.

Liberty Party

A political party formed in the abolitionist movement that accepted women's participation unlike many other organizations.

Irish Immigration

The large influx of Irish immigrants to the United States, particularly during the 1820s to 1840s, due to factors like the potato famine.

Tammany Hall

A famous political machine in New York City that helped Irish immigrants assimilate into American society.

German Immigration

The migration of German settlers to the United States seeking political, religious freedom, and economic opportunities, especially after 1848.

Cotton Gin

An invention that significantly boosted cotton production and, consequently, the demand for slavery in the southern United States.

Cult of Domesticity

A belief system in the 19th century that glorified women's role as homemakers and maintained they held power through controlling the household.

Lowell Factory Girls Association

An organization formed by female workers in Lowell to protest wage cuts and improve working conditions.

Industrialization

A period in the early 1800s that began drawing women into the workforce, particularly in factories such as those in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Factory Conditions

Work environments in early industrial factories that were often dangerous, involving long hours and minimal safety measures.

Sojourner Truth

A prominent abolitionist and women's rights advocate known for her powerful speeches and contributions to the movements.