Untitled Flashcards Set

Chapter 11: Religion and Reform, 1800–1860

Individualism: The Ethic of the Middle Class

Time Period: 1820–1860

Key Concepts:

  1. Rise of Individualism:

    • Economic growth and westward expansion weakened traditional institutions, leading individuals to fend for themselves.

    • Alexis de Tocqueville coined the term individualism to describe the growing social isolation of Americans.

    • Ralph Waldo Emerson and Transcendentalism celebrated individual self-reliance and spirituality.

  2. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Transcendentalism:

    • An intellectual movement that rejected traditional organized religion and emphasized spiritual self-discovery.

    • Inspired by European Romanticism (e.g., Kant, Coleridge), transcendentalists emphasized passion, intuition, and nature.

    • Prominent works:

      • Emerson’s “The American Scholar” (1837): Urged Americans to find cultural and literary inspiration in their own experiences.

      • Henry David Thoreau:

        • Lived in solitude near Walden Pond (1845) to connect with nature and wrote Walden (1854).

        • Advocated civil disobedience, opposing unjust laws.

  3. Literary Influence:

    • Margaret Fuller:

      • Advocated women’s equality through works like Woman in the Nineteenth Century (1844).

    • Walt Whitman:

      • Celebrated democracy and individuality in Leaves of Grass (1855).

  4. Darker Literary Visions:

    • Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter, 1850): Criticized excessive individualism and its consequences.

    • Herman Melville (Moby-Dick, 1851): Warned of the dangers of uncontrolled egoism.

Rural Communalism and Urban Popular Culture

Key Concepts:

  1. The Utopian Impulse:

    • Reformers sought alternative ways of living, creating utopian communities.

      • Shakers (Mother Ann Lee): Practiced celibacy and communal property ownership.

      • Fourierism: Advocated socialism and shared property.

    • Failed experiments like Brook Farm reflected the challenges of utopian ideals in market societies.

  2. Joseph Smith and the Mormon Experience:

    • Founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    • Brigham Young led Mormons to Utah after Smith’s murder, establishing a religious community.

  3. Urban Popular Culture:

    • Rapid urbanization led to entertainment venues, working-class leisure, and immigrant cultural influences.

    • Rise of minstrel shows: Reflected racist sentiments and stereotypes.

Abolitionism

Key Concepts:

  1. Black Social Thought:

    • Enslaved and free African Americans shaped abolitionist movements.

      • David Walker: Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World (1829) called for resistance against slavery.

  2. Evangelical Abolitionism:

    • Inspired by the Second Great Awakening, white abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison advocated immediate emancipation.

      • Founded The Liberator and the American Anti-Slavery Society.

  3. Internal Conflict:

    • Growing tensions between radical abolitionists and moderates.

    • Opposition to abolitionism in the South and parts of the North.

The Women’s Rights Movement

Key Concepts:

  1. Origins of the Movement:

    • Women reformers involved in abolitionism began advocating for their own rights.

    • Leaders like Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Convention (1848).

      • Issued the Declaration of Sentiments, calling for gender equality.

  2. From Black Rights to Women’s Rights:

    • Divisions emerged between women’s rights activists and abolitionists over priorities.

Important Turning Points:

  1. 1830s-1840s: Abolitionist movement gained momentum through publications like The Liberator and grassroots organizations.

  2. 1848: Seneca Falls Convention marked the formal beginning of the women’s rights movement.

Key Figures:

  1. Ralph Waldo Emerson: Leading transcendentalist who promoted individualism.

  2. Henry David Thoreau: Advocated civil disobedience and spiritual self-reliance.

  3. Margaret Fuller: Early advocate for women’s equality and intellectual freedom.

  4. William Lloyd Garrison: Founder of The Liberator and key abolitionist leader.

  5. Joseph Smith: Founder of the Mormon faith, contributing to religious reform.

  6. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott: Leaders of the Seneca Falls Convention.

Literary Works and Historical Voices:

  1. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, including “The American Scholar.”

  2. Henry David Thoreau: Walden and “Civil Disobedience.”

  3. Margaret Fuller: Woman in the Nineteenth Century.

  4. Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter.

  5. Herman Melville: Moby-Dick.

  6. David Walker: Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World.

Continuities, Changes, and Contrasts:

  1. Continuities:

    • Social hierarchies persisted, especially in the South.

    • Opposition to abolitionism remained strong among Southern elites.

  2. Changes:

    • Individualism and reform movements reshaped middle-class values.

    • The abolitionist movement began to grow in influence.

    • Women’s roles expanded beyond domestic spheres into activism.

  3. Contrasts:

    • Reformers in the North pursued abolition, while Southern leaders defended slavery.

    • Utopian communities challenged traditional property and gender norms but often failed.