Chapter 14 Key Terms

Deism

Belief in a creator who does not intervene in the world, emphasizing reason and nature over organized religion.

Second Great Awakening

A 19th-century religious revival in the U.S. that promoted personal faith and led to new denominations.

Burned-Over District

A region in New York known for intense religious fervor and multiple revival movements in the early 19th century.

Mormons

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founded by Joseph Smith, emphasizing family and community.

Lyceum

Organizations promoting adult education through lectures and cultural events in the 19th century.

American Temperance Society

An organization founded in 1826 advocating for reduced alcohol consumption and promoting temperance.

Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls

The 1848 convention marking the start of the women’s rights movement in the U.S., producing the Declaration of Sentiments.

Shakers

A religious sect known for communal living, celibacy, and distinctive crafts, founded in the 18th century.

Hudson River School

An art movement focused on American landscapes, celebrating nature and Romantic ideals in the mid-19th century.

Minstrel Shows

19th-century entertainment featuring white performers in blackface, often reinforcing racial stereotypes.

Transcendentalism

A philosophical movement emphasizing individual intuition, nature, and self-reliance, associated with figures like Emerson.

“The American Scholar”

An essay by Emerson advocating for American intellectual independence and cultural identity.

Charles Grandison Finney

A leading revivalist of the Second Great Awakening known for his dynamic preaching and emphasis on conversion.

Joseph Smith

Founder of the Mormon Church, he claimed to have translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates.

Brigham Young

Leader who succeeded Joseph Smith and led Mormons to Utah, establishing a significant community.

Horace Mann

Education reformer who advocated for public education and teacher training in the 19th century.

Dorothea Dix

Activist for the mentally ill, she improved conditions in asylums and advocated for mental health institutions.

Lucretia Mott

Quaker activist for women’s rights and abolition, co-organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Key figure in the women’s rights movement and co-organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention.

Susan B. Anthony

Suffragist and reformer who campaigned for women’s voting rights and co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association.

Amelia Bloomer

Advocate for women’s dress reform, known for promoting the "bloomer" outfit.

John James Audubon

Ornithologist and painter known for his studies of American birds, particularly in "The Birds of America."

James Fenimore Cooper

Novelist known for "The Leatherstocking Tales," exploring themes of American frontier life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalist essayist emphasizing individuality and nature, author of "Self-Reliance."

Henry David Thoreau

Transcendentalist known for "Walden" and "Civil Disobedience," promoting simple living and resistance to injustice.

Walt Whitman

Poet celebrated for free verse and themes of individuality and democracy in "Leaves of Grass."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Popular 19th-century poet known for works like "Paul Revere's Ride."

Louisa May Alcott

Author of "Little Women," exploring family and gender roles.

Emily Dickinson

Innovative poet known for introspective themes, particularly death and immortality.

Edgar Allan Poe

Writer known for macabre tales and poems, such as "The Raven."

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Novelist exploring moral themes, notably in "The Scarlet Letter."

Herman Melville

Author of "Moby-Dick," examining obsession and the human condition.

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