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Charles Finney, a preacher told an audience of New York that everyone has the ability to choose God and salvation. This helped
started a religious revival and social reform in America. The Second Great Awakening converted many people regardless of who
they are. Charles Finney wanted the listeners to let go of their sins and surrender to God. There were also movements against
drinking, dueling, drinking and prostitution.
The Second Great Awakening helped women to be seen more as companions than servants. Even though the men still possessed
most of the power in the house, women still gained some power through mutual respect. By the early decades of the 19th century,
children were home more, and received much more attention from their parents, especially their mothers.
Theodore Dwight Weld was converted by Charles Finney founded Oberlin College in Ohio believed colonization led to inequality
of African Americans. The Liberty Party was formed. It signaled a new effort to turn antislavery sentiment into political
power. Women were very involved in the anti-slavery movement. Women used this as stepping stone to let their voices be heard
to fight for women suffrage.
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Details
Charles Finney and other evangelical preachers told their audiences that they had
the ability to choose God and salvation.
Brought religious revival and social reform.
The Second Great Awakening began at a gathering of 50,000 in Kentucky
Many rowdies and scoffers were converted
Revivals changed in form from one long meeting to a nightly series
Reflected a desire to improve personal morals
An attempt to defend Calvinism against Enlightenment views, Unitarianism
Rev Tim Dwight of Yale led the fight, leading Yale revivals
Main theologian: Nathaniel Taylor; main preacher: Lyman Beecher
Wanted listeners to acknowledge their sins and surrender to God
Brought acceptance to the doctrine of Free Agency
Individuals could overcome a natural inclination to sin
Charley Finney preached with emotion and taught Free Will
Redeemed Christians would eventually be free of sin in heaven
Eventually focused on urban ministries
Beecher and others disapproved of Finney
Charles Fnney allowed women to pray in public
Converts formed voluntary associations to end sin and reform society
More in the North than the South
Included John Mills American Bible Society
Boards of foreign missions within denominations
American Tract Society
Movements to end drinking, dueling, gambling, prostitution
Men focused on the prostitutes, women on the customers
Movements focusing on the demon rumwere common
American Temperance Society began (1826)
Lyman Beecher also focused on alcohol abuse
Per capita alcohol consumption decreased by 50% in the 30s
Child rearing becomes serious business.
The domestic circle became the haven of Christian purity and virtue.
Wives became more like companions than servants in the household
Men and women chose their spouses
Men still controlled property within a marriage
Divorce was much easier for men than women
Women gained power through mutual respect, not law
The Cult of True Womanhood placed women on a pedestal
The domestic sphere was idealized
Women were morally superior to men
Housework took up much of their time
Middle class women freed themselves from housework
Had free time for intellectual pursuit, social reform
Catharine Beecher Stowe tried to make the roles of wife, mother and teacher more rational and scientific
Childhood came to be seen as a distinct stage of life
Education and moral nurturing were keys to development
Parents used guilt more than fear
Reflection was a likely replacement for a beating
Family size declined by 25%
An enormous expansion of free public schools occurred from 1820-1850
Perhaps a way to close the gap between rich and poor
Common school movement reformer Horace Mann was prominent
Secretary of Education in MA
Saw children as clay to be molded by teachers
Supported schools with public taxes
Taught social discipline, morality, respect and basic skills
Protestant work ethic industry, punctuality, sobriety, frugality
Lyceum series provided public education to adults
Even A. Lincoln benefited from a public debating society
Special institutions were established for those incapable of self-discipline
Allowed deviants to be dealt with in a neighborly” way
Incorporated the concept of reform, perfectibility
French observers de Tocqueville and de Beaumont noted the routine
Would establish honest habits and self-discipline
Would give prisoners useful tools for post-incarceration
Most reforms were not accomplished due to lack of money
Dorothea Dix was most successful in achieving reform
Slavery concerns
American Colonization Society
Theodore Dwight Weld was converted by Charles Finney in NY
Led revivals at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati
Founded Oberlin College in OH
Believed that colonization denied the equality of African Americans
Weld led anti-slavery revivals in NY
Anti-slavery cause was not always popular, even in the North
Angry mobs often greeted Weld
Garrison was almost lynched in Boston
The Tappan brothers were often threatened
Elijah Lovejoy (editor) was killed in Illinois
Racism and fear of interracial marriage fueled much hatred
Job pressures among working classes led to riots
Anti-Slavery Society split over women rights in 1840
Minority group: American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society
No women in leadership, founded by Tappan
Little influence but did weaken the movement
The Liberty Party was formed
All these events led to a more impassioned defense of slavery in the South
Southerners in Congress forced adoption of a gag rule
Eventually defeated by JQ Adams
Linked anti-slavery with other civil liberties
Frederick Douglass edited The North Star
Women were very involved in the anti-slavery movement
Led to a link between oppression of women and slaves
Women were sometime forbidden to speak at abolition meetings
Women abolitionists included Grimke sisters, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton led to Seneca Falls Convention and
Declaration of Sentiments (1848)
Robert Owens New Harmony
Founded on ideals of Utopian Socialism
Common and equal property ownership
Greeley Fourier phalanxes
30 or so were formed; 100,000 residents
Fair share joint-stock companies
These experiments had a lifespan of about 2 years per commune
Oneida colonies
Founder: John Humphrey Noyes
Second Coming had already occurred
Complex marriage
Shakers Mother Ann Lee (the feminine incarnation of Christ)
Sexual equality=celibacy
Communal property ownership
Often mocked by outsiders
Transcendentalist Emerson, Thoreau
Brook Farm based on transcendentalism
Founded by Reverend George Ripley
Focused on spontaneity, reflection and creativity
Lasted for four years, many famous visitors
Hawthorne, Emerson, Fuller
Ended after a major fire
Dietary reforms of Sylvester Graham and others
Amelia Bloomer invented a new undergarment, more convenient, less restricting
Perhaps even healthier
Phrenology was popular
Spiritualism was a fake
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