Ap Us Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Essential Questions

What major changes in American religion occurred in the early 19th century, and how did they effect American culture and reform?

1. Thomas Paine’s Age of Reason, which stated that all churches were created to make money, created the group of Deists, who, instead of relying on faith, relied on reason. Although they denied any existence of Christ, they did believe in one being that created the universe and the living things within it.

2. Through Deism, Unitarianism rose, claiming that God existed in only one person. They expressed the goodness of human nature, but also denied the existence of Christ.

3. The reaction to the growing liberalism in religion brought about the Second Great Awakening, in which many revivals took place.

4. Female contribution was one of the key features of the Great Awakening - Middle class women, such as wives and daughters of businessmen, were some of the biggest enthusiasts of the religious revivals.

What were the successes and failures of the many American reform movements of the early 19th century? Was the failure of some of them (i.e., peace reforms) due to entrenched social conservatism, or to weaknesses in the movements themselves?

1. - Since the 1820’s, Schools had been taxed for the continuation of public education.

-The school teachers were mostly men, who did not know how to teach children.

- Horace Mann campaigned for better schools, higher pay for teachers, and less taxes, so that more Americans could afford their child’s schooling.

- Higher Education became a nationwide demand.

- Throughout the South, state supported universities were established.

- Education for women slowly rose, even though many believed that the womens place was at home

How did the first American feminists propose altering the condition of women, and what success did they have?

1. Reasons for Feminist movements -

-The higher percentage of women in America were still stuck in...