The Antebellum Era: Major Social Reform Movements

The prewar era was full of social reform campaigns based on the impulse to eliminate evil and improve human condition of society. Despite attempting to positively change society through various reforms, these reform campaigns have had various successes. This article focuses on the five major social reform movements of that era, and explains its achievement, failure, and the impact of the whole of the United States. They abolish reform, women's suffrage, abstinence, institution, and educational reform.

Purpose: Let students understand the concepts of reform in general, and give students a comprehensive understanding on prewar reforms from 1820 to 1850. Basic question: What are the major reform movements and their goals before the war? Homework: Students read the textbook chapters on classroom reform. Activities in the classroom: Goal: To make students understand the uniqueness of the abolitionism compared to other reactions to slavery. Let the students clearly express the various reasons that support the abolition movement, its influence (a few believers), and the reaction to it. Basic question: What is the abolitionism? What kind of society - economy - political situation is the abolitionistic reaction? How will social change movement develop and change? Background lecture: Discuss the history of other anti-slavery including Quaker, gradualism, colonization, abolition

The views of the reformers before the war, such as the views of late reformers evolved over time and were influenced by the incident. A profound religious belief and evangelical enthusiasm are the driving force of the prewar reform movement. Rhythmic movements and reforms, including education, prisons, women's rights, evacuation centers, utopianism, abolition, belong to the middle class, but they are also promoted by the second awakening enthusiasm. The basic belief in new transformation is that individuals can bear the responsibility to improve their lives. Therefore, if converts make their energy the cause of moral reform and live according to the will of God, the moral reform of the world is possible.

Between 1825 and 1850, the ideals of democracy, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness penetrated the masses of America through a series of prewar reform movements. These reforms range from moderate to abolition and spirituality to public schools, and to good living conditions. The religious resurrection provided a new ideology that paved the way for the second awakening. The reform movement in this era hides the inner goodness of human nature and can improve his social, moral and spiritual life.