An Age of Reform

#The Reform Movements of the 19th Century: A Last-Minute Review 🚀

Hey there! Let's get you prepped and confident for your AP US History exam. We're going to break down the major reform movements of the 19th century, focusing on what's most important for test day. Think of this as your ultimate cheat sheet! 😉

#The Second Great Awakening & Its Impact

• The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival that fueled many social reforms. It emphasized personal piety and the importance of individual conversion, which led many to become involved in social justice causes.
• It created a sense of moral obligation to improve society, laying the groundwork for movements like temperance and abolition.
• Key Idea: Religious fervor translated into social action. 💡

#Temperance Movement: Battling the Bottle

• What it was: A movement to curb alcohol consumption, driven by moral and religious concerns.
• American Temperance Society (1826): Called for total abstinence from alcohol.
• Impact: Alcohol consumption dropped by over half in two decades. 📉
• Main Argument: Alcohol led to social problems like poverty, crime, and domestic violence.

#Mental Health & Prison Reform: Treating the Vulnerable

#Dorothea Dix: Champion for the Mentally Ill

• Who she was: A social reformer, teacher, writer, and activist.
• Her work: Exposed the horrible conditions in mental hospitals and advocated for reform.
• Impact: Helped establish 32 new, more humane mental hospitals in the US and Canada. 🏥

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

#Prison Reform in Pennsylvania

• Key Figure: Benjamin Rush, a physician and social reformer.
• His Argument: Harsh prison conditions were counterproductive; kindness and rehabilitation were needed.
• New Prisons: Called penitentiaries, focused on structure and discipline for moral reform.
• Connection: Reflected the asylum movement's belief in structure and discipline for moral reform. ⛓️

#Public Education: The Rise of Common Schools

#Horace Mann: Father of American Public Education

• His Vision: Compulsory attendance, longer school years, and better teacher preparation.
• His Argument: Government had a responsibility to educate all citizens, regardless of social or economic status.
• Funding: Public schools supported by tax dolla...