Reforms of the Early 19th Century

Topics: Lyman Beecher, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Seneca Falls Convention Pages: 4 (1140 words) Published: January 11, 2012
The Temperance Movement sought to end the increasingly common issue of excessive drinking. Due to the social customs of the time, alcoholism consumed many individuals, mainly men. Drinking was “a basic part of men’s working lives”. (Faragher, p.438) Toasts were routine at work and at social gatherings alike for men. Women, who abstained from public drinking, and children were left to bear the consequent burdens. Economic affairs were controlled by men, making it easy for a family’s savings could easily be squandered on alcohol. Social status was, also, affected by drunkenness. Temperance supporters hoped to stop alcohol consumption and thus end these undesirable results.

The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance was founded by members of the growing middle class in 1826. The middle class did not accept the abundant drinking as previous classes had. They found it immoral and unsafe. The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance, “the largest reform organization of the period”, gained momentum and support. (Faragher, p.439) As time went on, many others began to agree with the middle class in this conclusion. Factory owners prohibited drinking on the job because it affected an employee’s performance, often making working with machinery hazardous. Skilled workers and artisans joined the movement. They, men and women, even created their own institutes, the Washington Temperance Societies and Martha Washington Societies. Men emphasized the political aspects of the problem while women placed emphasis on the dangers of drunkenness.

Temperance soon changed from a solely social concern to become a political problem as well. The two prominent political parties, the Whigs and the Democrats, had opposing views on temperance. Whigs were supporters, Democrats were not. The Democrats were not alone in their hostility. Immigrants, who were accustomed to the routine drinking, were also resistant. Despite this resistance and hostility, these...
Continue Reading

Please join StudyMode to read the full document

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Essay on Reform Movements of the 19th Century

    ...Role of Religion in European and Colonial Society Religion played an important role in European and Colonial Society. Religion had a major impact and influence on the family life, education and government in the European and Colonial Societies. The European and Colonial Society had dissimilar outlooks when it came to religion. While religion was the central focus in both European and Colonial society, Religion in the colonial society was more intense than Religion in the European society. For this reason, religion in the European society and Colonial Society would differ substantially. Colonists came to America for freedom of religion. Colonists came to America to be able to express their religious beliefs more candidly. When colonists first came to America, Church services were held under trees until buildings were built. In the colonial society, everyone was expected to go to church. Colonists were very dedicated to their churches because Churches were meeting places for religious practices. In colonial societies there were preachers that preached sermons at the churches. Colonists were strict when it came to participation at the churches. If a day of church was missed, a person would get put in stocks. If a person fell asleep in church, they would get hit on the head with a knob. There were also punishments imposed if a lie was told. If someone told a lie they would have to sit in stocks for many hours or they would have to stand on a platform with their...

    Read More
    959 Words 4 Pages
  • Essay about Women in the Early 19th Century

    ...The American experiment that began as a Republic after ratification of the Constitution created political, social, and economic participation for its citizens, but not for women. The status of women in the early 19th century was shaped by economic considerations, religious beliefs, and long-held notions of female inferiority. While poor, laboring women suffered the most, the characteristics of inequality were evident in all social classes. The Proper Role of Women in the Early Republic The early 19th century experienced a shift, at least for women in the urban centers of the Northeast, from the household economies that reflected an agricultural society to the necessity of linking female responsibilities with their husband’s careers. For lower class women, this meant supplementing family income by working either in early industrial mills, as domestic servants, or vending on city streets. Upper middle class women focused on social endeavors tied to their husband’s employment and continued social upper mobility. This included supervising servants, facilitating parties, and raising the children. Women who voiced any political activism were frowned upon. Perhaps the only place a woman might venture such opinions was around the dinner table. Above all, women were equated with virtue and purity. Middle and upper class women devoted time to helping charities that...

    Read More
    659 Words 3 Pages
  • Women in the 19th Century Research Paper

    ... History 12 12 / 01/ 13 In the nineteenth century, in America, the role women would play in our society began to change dramatically. This was the beginning of a whole new world for women, and America in general. Women began to realize that there were opportunities for them outside of the home, and that they could have a place in the world as well as men. It was a time when the feministic view was being born and traditional views of women were changing. First, women would play a part in working to help slaves gain their freedom in the anti-slavery movement. They felt they could identify with the way slaves were being treated, therefore wanted to help them. Middle class women then would begin to realize that they were just the same as men, and wanted to be treated that way, and partake in the same activities. This included getting an education, working and being able to support themselves without the help of men. This changed not only the traditional roles of women in society, but also their role in the family. With women wanting the right to vote, work and go to school, middle class life as they new it would be drastically changed. Women would no longer be in the home with the children cooking and cleaning; they wanted to get out into the world. There was still an extremely long way to go before women were to be accepted in society, and this was just the beginning. In 1830‘s, there was a radical anti-slavery movement, which demanded the cessation of...

    Read More
    2253 Words 6 Pages
  • Agitation and Reform in 19th Century Britain Essay

    ...The Industrial revolution is a term that is used to describe the transformations that the economical and social sectors of Britain during the 19th Century. It is hard to say exactly when the Industrial revolution started or when it finished. Many factors influenced the changes that happened, which makes studying the Industrial Revolution a little more complex than some other areas of History. There were several economic developments that gave rise to the industrial revolution. The changes didn't just affect the economy of the country, but society as a whole. People began to be moved into cities, the availability of material possessions/goods and the change in ways of trading. The Industrial Revolution brought with it an increase in population and urbanization, as well as new social classes. The increase in population was nothing short of dramatic. The change in workforce was drastic as well, from domestic production to factories under capitalist control. Britain changed form an agricultural society to an industrial one in a very short period of time and this had impacts on social life as a whole. Factories started to pop up everywhere, producing goods with great efficiency and in large quantities. Labourers however would lose their jobs to machines, machines that started to appear back in the cotton trade. Labourers began to experience longer working hours in harsher working conditions for minimal wages. It was no longer about the...

    Read More
    1366 Words 6 Pages
  • American Industrialization and reform in the 19th century Essay

    ...Nghi Bui Professor Kern History 1302 - 5055 Feb 2nd, 2015 Industrialization and reform (1870 – 1916) After the Civil War, the United States owned an abundant amount of natural resource, an expanding market for manufactured goods, a growing supply of labor and availabilities of capital for investment. In addition, the federal government vigorously promoted industrial development which stimulated the American economy to change dramatically from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era. However, the progress of the industrialization affected every aspect of the American society in either positive or negative way. As the nation moved to the west, the United States was transformed by vast changes in technology and a large amount of natural resources which stimulated new industries. Particularly, steel came to be used in the expanding new railroads which contributed in linking the nation and created a national wide market. By the 1890s, there were five transcontinental railroads transported the raw material from the West to the Eastern markets and carried manufactured goods to the West (Foner 596). Though, the government was not able to deal problems formed by the industrial revolution. Both parties came under control of powerful political managers with close ties to business interests. Republicans intensely supported a high tariff to protect America industry. During the 1870s, Republicans established a financial system based on reducing federal spending, which...

    Read More
    884 Words 3 Pages
  • Industry and Commerce in the Early 19th Century Essay

    ...In the 19th century, America had a basic economy and small industry. It was also a new country, with few customs and traditions. It had not had time to acquire any, because it was still so new. America has grown a lot since then, and a lot of the steps we have taken to get to today's bustling economy and immense industry took place in the nineteenth century. Commerce and industry contributed to America's nineteenth century identity because it provided the framework for a larger economy in the future, helped drive western expansion and growth of cities, made an improved transportation system necessary, and forced many new inventions onto the market In the early 1800's, seaboard ports were the largest centers of commerce. These were small towns, with basic transportation systems. Most of the goods exported were either simple products or seafood from the nearby ocean. Many farms surrounded the seaboard ports. The growing conditions were not too favorable, as the fields were muddy most of the time. Seaboard ports were an essential part of the local trade. In 1820 we had at least one half million separate family economies trading with several thousand local economies. On small family farms, family members spent the majority of there time working to produce for there families own use. Each family farm was like its own economy, with free time and the stock of produce shared, jobs assigned...

    Read More
    1286 Words 6 Pages
  • Women's Rights 19th Century Essay

    ...Women's Rights 19th century |Several activists in antislavery joined the women's rights movement. Lucy Stone, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Abby Kelley | |Foster, and Sojourner Truth are among the most well known. Angelina Grimke and her sister, Sarah Grimke worked for women's rights after a | |career as antislavery lecturers. | |Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, and human rights advocate Ernestine Rose participated at national women's rights conventions. | |In 1849 Amelia Bloomer became the editor of the first woman's newspaper, The Lily. Bloomer lived in Seneca Falls, New York and became an | |outspoken advocate of women's rights, dress reform, and temperance. She was inspired by Elizabeth Smith Miller. | The importance of women of the 19th century represents the entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies. The idea is that women should have equalrights with men. In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed. They differ from broader notions of human rights through claims of an inherent historical and traditional bias against the exercise of rights by women and girls in favour of men and...

    Read More
    1706 Words 7 Pages
  • Marriage in Early 19th Century Us Essay

    ...Diary, and Letters from a Marriage, is a look into the lives of Henry and Mary Lee. They were a well off family living in Boston in early 19th century. The selections written by Mary and Henry, give a glimpse of their marriage and lives through a reverse of wealth, a loss of a child and time spent apart while Henry goes to India to regain their wealth. Henry’s trip is extended because of the war of 1812, and we can see Mary’s attitude change of the distant relationship and her roles as a wife. Throughout history wives have had many different roles in the family. Today women are encourage to have careers outside of the house hold and have equal responsibility of raising their children as the father. In early American history the husband and wife would work side by side to get things done to survive. In the case for Mary Lee’s time, they had a much different role. In the early 19th century the wife’s job was to educate the children and take care of the house and create a sanctuary for her husband. Mary viewed her role in the family differently than the social norms. She wanted to work while her husband was away. Mary also wanted other women to be educated. Mary Lee lived in a time where marriage was becoming more about mutual love and not just for family or economical reasons. Wives were expected to remain at home and take care and support her husband. This was also a time...

    Read More
    684 Words 3 Pages

Popular Essays

Become a StudyMode Member

Sign Up - It's Free