Reform Movements and Utopian Communities

Reform Movements

Centered primarily in the North and were transatlantic in scope.
In the South, reform movements were less common due to their association with antislavery.
Often employed "moral suasion," using moral arguments to persuade people to their cause.
Almost all reform movements linked their cause to religion, especially the Second Great Awakening.
Some groups withdrew from mainstream society to form utopian communities.
These communities aimed to create "perfect" or "ideal" societies, a concept known as "perfectionism."
Some operated as democratic societies, while others were led by single leaders.

A religious revival movement that reinforced self-improvement, self-reliance, and self-determination, which were growing during the Market Revolution.
It emerged in response to declining church attendance during the Market Revolution.
Prominent figures included Reverend Charles Grandison Finney, who advocated for women's rights and the abolition of slavery.
It democratized American Christianity, making Christianity more central to the culture.
Tocqueville noted that Americans combined Christianity and liberty so intimately that they couldn't conceive of one without the other.

Revivalist ministers utilized new technologies to raise funds and travel, leading to greater mass participation.
The Erie Canal played an important role in this.
Cane Ridge Revival, 1801, was particularly significant.
Despite using the Market Revolution to spread their ideas, many ministers criticized its scramble for wealth.
The Market Revolution produced what they termed "the law of Satan's empire", due to its emphasis on "Individualism".

Most utopian communities operated on a cooperative basis, aiming to end the "excessive individualism" of the Market Revolution.
These communities represent the origins of the terms socialism and communism.
Some prohibited sexual relations, while others allowed "free love."
Key tenets included abolishing private property and challenging the idea that women were the "property" of men.

Founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York.
Smith held absolute authority.
Practiced polygamy, which led to persecution and eventual migration to Illinois and then Nevada.