Second Great Awakening
19th Century
Widespread religious revival movement that swept through the United States
Fervent preaching, emotional conversions, and emphasis on personal salvation
Revivalism
Movement aimed at revitalizing and reforming religious beliefs and practices
Often led to increased enthusiasm and participation in faith communities
Millennialism
Belief that a golden age or utopia will emerge on Earth, often preceded by a major transformation or cataclysmic event
Concept rooted from Revelation
Recurring theme in religious and social movements
Romantic Movement
Emphasized the importance of individual experience and intuition over reason, highlighting personal feelings and emotions in literature and art.
Transcendentalists
Believed that true knowledge could be found through personal experience and intuition rather than through established institutions or authorities.
Henry David Thoreau; “On Civil Disobedience”
American essayist, poet, and philosopher best known for his book 'Walden,' which reflects on simple living in natural surroundings and his views on individuality, society, and government.
Utopian Communities
Intentional communities or social experiments that aim to create an ideal society, often based on shared values, beliefs, and a vision of a perfect way of living.
Shakers
A Christian religious group that originated in 18th century England and later spread to North America.
Women and men were strictly separate —> No marriage —> No kids
Robert Owen; New Harmony
A utopian community founded in 1825 by Robert Owen in Indiana, aiming to create a cooperative society based on principles of equality and shared labor.
Oneida Community
Established in 1848 and lasted until 1881, promoting a unique blend of Christianity and socialism. Members of the community engaged in communal living, sharing everything from property to labor, which was radical for its time.
Hudson River School
A group of American landscape painters in the 19th century who focused on capturing the beauty and grandeur of nature, particularly scenes along the Hudson River.
Temperance; American Temperance Society
A social movement in the 19th and early 20th centuries that sought to curb or outlaw the consumption of alcoholic beverages. It was driven by a desire to improve individual and societal well-being through the elimination of the perceived negative effects of alcohol abuse.
Asylum Movement; Dorothea Dix
The establishment of dedicated institutions for the care of mentally ill individuals, moving away from previous practices of confinement with criminals.
Penitentiaries; Auburn System
A type of prison designed to serve as a place of reform for inmates, where they could reflect on their actions and seek redemption.
Horace Mann; Public School Movement
An initiative in the 19th century aimed at establishing a system of free, publicly funded schools to provide education to all children, regardless of their social status or wealth.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
A pioneering American social activist and leading figure of the women's rights movement in the 19th century. She played a crucial role in advancing the cause of women's suffrage and equality in the United States.
Seneca Fall Convention
The first women's rights convention held in the United States, marking a pivotal moment in the early women's suffrage movement.
Susan B. Anthony
Prominent American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a key role in the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She dedicated her life to fighting for women's rights, including the right to vote, and co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association.
American Colonization Society
An organization founded in 1816 that aimed to resettle free African Americans in Africa, specifically in a colony that became Liberia.
Abolitionism
A movement aimed at ending slavery and the slave trade, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. It sought not only to free enslaved individuals but also to promote equality and civil rights for all, emphasizing the moral and ethical imperative to eradicate the institution of slavery.
William Lloyd Garrison
Prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer best known for his influential newspaper, The Liberator, which advocated for the immediate emancipation of enslaved people.
The Liberator
An influential abolitionist newspaper founded by William Lloyd Garrison in 1831, dedicated to the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people and the promotion of equal rights for African Americans.
Liberty Party
A political party in the United States formed in 1840, primarily focused on advocating for the abolition of slavery.
Frederick Douglass
A skilled orator and gave numerous speeches advocating for emancipation and civil rights, becoming one of the most famous abolitionists of his time. He played a significant role in the Women's Rights Movement, famously attending the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, where he advocated for women's suffrage.
The North Star
A star that is aligned with the Earth's northern axis and is famous for its fixed position in the night sky, making it a crucial navigational point.
Harriet Tubman
Prominent African American abolitionist and political activist who escaped from slavery and became a leading figure in the Underground Railroad.
Sojourner Truth
African American abolitionist and women's rights activist who was born into slavery in New York in 1797.
Nat Turner
An enslaved African American who led a significant slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831. His actions were fueled by a deep sense of religious conviction and a belief that he was chosen by God to lead his people to freedom.