The Politics of Social Reform
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Transcript of The Politics of Social Reform
The Politics of Social Reform
Two parties developed Early 19th C
Whigs used government to improve individual morality and discipline Prostitution, temperance, public
education, asylums and penitentiaries Democrats felt morality through
legislation was anti-republican Social reform provoked angry
differences between the two parties
Public Schools Common school
movement Normal Schools
Female teachers Party differences
about organization of schools Whigs want state-
level centralization Democrats
preferred local school districts
Ethnicity, Religion, and the Schools
Issues for many Irish Catholic immigrant children Offensive texts and Bibles used in
schools Some parents refused to send children
to school State subsidy for Parish schools
Foreign language schools for bilingual instruction created
State-supported church-run charity schools
Prisons State governments built and supported
institutions for orphans, dependent poor, insane, and criminals Market Revolution increased visibility of
these groups and cut them off from family resources
Reformers assert these groups exist because of bad family situation
Both political parties favored state-support for criminals and dependents Whigs favored rehabilitation Democrats favored isolation and
punishment “Auburn system”
Asylums Dorothea Dix By 1860:
legislatures of 28 out of 33 states established state-run insane asylums
Few Democrats supported insane asylums
The South and Social Reform Social reform “expensive
and wrong-headed” Southern schools
Locally controlled Limited curriculum
Temperance succeeds for individuals, but no state level prohibition
Southern resistance to social reforms Doomed to failure because
of human imperfection Seen as self-righteous
imposition of Northeasterners
Ardent Spirits American Temperance Society (1826)
Lyman Beecher Six Sermons on
the Nature, Occasions, Signs, Evils, and Remedy of Intemperance (1826)
Temperance becomes badge of middle class respectability
Military ends traditional liquor ration 1832 Congressional Temperance Society 1833 Alcohol consumption cut in half by 1840
3.9 – 1.9 gallon year
The Origins of Prohibition Mid-1830s:
Whigs made Temperance a political issue
“Fifteen-Gallon Law” in Massachusetts 1833
Democrats: Forced temperance violates Republican liberty
Alcohol becomes defining political difference for many
Ethnicity and Alcohol 1840s-1850s: millions of Irish and
German immigrants Germans: lager beers, old-country
beer halls Irish: whiskey, bars
Legitimized levels of male drunkenness and violence
Nativism and temperance politics merge in the 1850s at expense of Democrats
The Politics of Race Traditional view: God gave white
males power over others Whig evangelicals
Marriage changes from domination to sentimental partnership
Emergence of a radical minority envisioning a world without power
Attacked slavery and patriarchy as national sin
Free Blacks North: states began to abolish
slavery Revolutionary idealism Slavery was inefficient and
unnecessary Gradual emancipation
(Pennsylvania model) Free black populations grew
and moved into the cities Many took stable, low-paying
jobs
Discrimination Discrimination rises
White workers drive blacks out of skilled and semi-skilled jobs
Blacks increasingly politically disenfranchised
Segregated schools Blacks build their own institutions
African Methodist Episcopal Church (1816)
Black Anti-slavery activism David Walker: Appeal to the Colored
Citizens of the World (1829) Harriet Tubman Frederick Douglass
Abolitionists William Lloyd
Garrison The Liberator (1831) American Anti-Slavery
Society (1833) Abolition a logical
extension of middle class evangelicalism
American Anti-slavery Society demands: Immediate
emancipation Full civil and legal
rights for African-Americans
Agitation Abolitionists minority of
Evangelicals Beecher - end of slavery will come
with conversion of masters Logical end of antislavery is civil war
“Postal Campaign” Petition campaign Jackson administration response
Censor mail Right to petition abridged
Lydia Maria Child was a leading voice in the anti-slavery movement as well as a champion of women’s
Lucretia Coffin Mott sheltered runaway slaves and became one of the early leaders of the women’s rights movement
Women’s Rights Women’s role as
missionaries to their family make them public reformers
Antislavery movement leads women to advocate for equal rights
State legislative changes in favor of women Married Woman’s Property
Act (New York 1860) Women’s Rights
Convention, Seneca Falls, NY (1848) Declaration of Sentiments and
Resolutions Female participation in
politics
Conclusion 1830s: most citizens firmly
identified with one of the two parties: Whig or Democrat
Whigs: embraced commerce and activist government
Democrats: localistic and culturally conservative
James Clavell’s The Children’s StoryCritical Thinking
Assignment What is this story about and why does it matter?
Author of fiction James Clavell wrote this short manuscript to explore social and political issues. Write A 1500 word paper (+/- 10%) describing what you believe to be the most important issue or issues raised in the piece and whether these same issues have been seen in one or more occasion of American history in both, national and international relations.
Due Thursday 3rd December
Manifest Destiny
John L. O’Sullivan Democrat Journalist New York City“our manifest destiny to overspread and to posses the whole of the continent
which Providence has given us for the
development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government
entrusted to us” 1840s Growth
became watchword of AmericaLand acquired
through annexation, negotiation, and war
Relentless pressure on limits of Indian settlements
1850 Native American population > ½ Million Appeal of West as source of
expansionOregon and California were especially attractive
Travelled through America, Mexico and Britain
Missions and presidios in California
Overland Trails
Mormon migration to Utah, 1847
New York – Ohio – Illinois
15,000 people in Nauvoo
Joseph Smith Polygamy June 1844 mob
killed him in jail
New leader Brigham Young
Led group to Salt Lake
“This is the right place”
July 24, 1847 At time Mexican
territory Territorial
governor 1850 -57 Uneasy peace with
DC
Texas1824 the Mexican
government begins to encourage American settlement in Texas
American slave holders conflict with Mexican authorities (slavery would be abolished in 1829)
Mexico bans immigration in 1830
1834 President Antonio López de Santa Anna
passes a series of laws that restrict powers of regional governments
Many locals rebelled In Texas Stephen Austin and
other Americans become determined to push for Independence from Mexico
Sam Houston becomes leader of American Forces
Initially success for Santa Anna’s forces
The Alamo Golliad Texans regroup
Deal crushing blow to Santa Ana at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836
To join the US or Not? Originally the idea was popular in
Texas Texas begins to form ties with Europe
Britain interested access to the cotton and other trade items Hope to persuade Texans to become pro-
abolition Santa Anna threatens war with USA if
Annexation occurs Conflict over the position of slavery in
Texas leads to uncertainty 1838 the idea is rejected
Election of 1844 in USA James Polk elected Pro
annexationresult was a mandate for
territorial expansionBy February of 1846 Texas
was officially part of USATexas was added as a slave
state due to the Missouri compromise
Missouri Compromise1819 Missouri appealed for
statehoodMissouri was a slave state If added to the US this would
upset the balance of slave and free states
Questions arose about the roles of the Federal government making laws for the States
The Solution
1) Missouri admitted as a slave state along with
the addition of Maine as a free state
2) Territory north of 36´ 30º free forever
All looked good until ……. Missouri adopted a STATE
constitution that disallowed free African Americans from entering state
Congress passed a law that Missouri could never deny any citizen of other states their rights under the FEDERAL constitution
A situation had arisen within the debate over the Missouri compromise whereby
The North expressed its political and moral opposition to slavery
The South had defended and promoted the “peculiar institution” that was slavery
Meanwhile back in Texas…..
Mexico considered annexation of Texas a hostile act
America was unable to get money from Mexico to pay the damage claims that American Texans had
dispute over the southern boundary of Texas
Mexico wanted the old border Nunces
USA wanted the Rio Grande
At the same time Americans were pushing into California
In 1843 Mexico had ordered the expulsion of Americans from California
US president Polk sent Slidell to Mexico to negotiate
the offer was US government would assume
damage claims in return for Mexican acceptance of lower border line
Offer of $5 Million for New Mexico
Offer of $20 Million for California
Mexico refused to negotiate - in part due to the political upheavals in Mexico
USA Declares war on May 12, 1846
TaylorNorthern Mexico defeats Santa Anna at
Buena Vista
KearnyNew Mexico and
CaliforniaMarched to California
along Santa Fe Trail and met up with Freemont and the Bear Flag Republic soldiers
ScottLanded at Vera Cruz -
fought his way to Mexico city
Forced Peace treaty on Mexicans
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
February 1848 Mexico cedes New Mexico and
California Mexico recognizes Rio Grande
boundary USA pays Mexico $15 Million USA assumes America damage
claims
Sectional Crisis
Slavery in the New Territories
From the southCongress has no right to exclude
slavery in new territoriesFrom the NorthCongress has the right to make laws
for the new territoriesModerate view proposes “Squatter Sovereignty” later known
as “Popular Sovereignty”
1850 Compromise Senator Henry Clay Attempted to introduce a bill that
would settle the question over slavery in the new territories
The collection of issues he wished to introduced became known as the Omnibus Bill
He died without getting it passed
Stephen A Douglas took on the compromise legislation and after separating it he got it
passed CA admitted as a
free state NM & Utah
admitted with no reference to slavery
Texas debt assumed and boundary restricted
Slave trade but not slavery banned in DC
New slave fugitive law passed
The disputes of the 1840sOver the role that slavery would play in the development of the USA
Would transform the abstract idea of secession
into a real possibility to some appeared necessary to others unavoidable
Fugitive Slave Law Constitution provided for return of
escaped slaves Antislavery movement hampered
state compliance after the 1830sPrigg v. Pennsylvania (1842)
enforcement a federal responsibility Northern states passed
personal liberty laws to prevent recapture of fugitive
slaves
Northerners who did not necessarily oppose slavery opposed return of fugitives
Southerners saw return as matter of honor and rights
Law created extensive system for capturing and returning runawaysAbolitionists vowed to resistEven non-abolitionists were
shocked at reality of enforcing the law
Horror stories of capture 1854 Federal marshals arrest Anthony Burns in
Boston Abolitionists poured into Boston A number attacked the federal court house
Deputy killed Eventually 200 marines and soldiers escorted While abolitionists held the American flag
upside down Signifying loss of liberty in the cradle of the
revolution
Second case Margret Garner Escaped from Kentucky to Ohio with her
children Rather than return herself and children she
attempted to cut throats Succeeded only with three year old daughter Toni Morrison “Beloved”
Led to writing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1851
Harriet Beecher Stowe
published in 1852Runaway best-seller
Helped shape an entire generation’s view of slavery
Break up of families
Wide but hostile readership in South
Dozens of pro slavery novels produced little impact
“The book that started a war”
In part as a possible cross country railroad path
1853 saw another land purchase by the US The Gadsden Land purchase
Stephen A Douglas Pushing for a northern
route west from Chicago January 1854, introduced a
Bill that became known as the
Kansas-Nebraska ActA railroad bill that turned
into much more
In order to get his bill passed he needed broad support including
southern congressmen “All questions pertaining to slavery in the
Territories, and in the new States to be formed therefrom are to be left to the the
people residing therein, through their appropriate representatives”
He also put in a clause repealing the Missouri compromise
Once more this was there to draw southerners to vote for his plan
However, he underestimated the feelings over the issue of slavery
It was assumed, correctly, that Nebraska would go to the abolitionists
Kansas however, was less certain
It was next to a slave state in Missouri
For many the campaign for Kansas was a precursor for the civil war
Bleeding Kansas In order to ensure that the
“right” decision would be made supporters from both the
Pro slavery and Anti slavery groups began to
move into Kansas
Anti Slavery William H. Seward
“Since there is no escaping your challenge, I accept it in behalf of the cause of freedom. We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas, God give victory to the side which is stronger in numbers as it is in right”
Pro slavery Senator David Atchison
“We are playing for a mighty stake”
“If we win in we carry slavery to the Pacific ocean; if we fail we lose Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and all the territories; the game must be played boldly”
Struggle for control of Kansas became intense after 1854 Border ruffians from Missouri crossed into
Kansas to vote illegally for slave government Majority favored free soil and opposed slavery
Kansas became the leading issue in politics Two competing legislatures by 1856
Dispute led to caning of Senator Charles Sumner
Lawrence
May 1856 Pro slavery group attacks Lawrence Newspaper offices destroyed Abolitionist Governors house burned Free State Hotel Destroyed
Pottawatomie Creek Radical abolitionist John
Brown led his 4 sons and 3 other men to Pottawatomie Creek
Dragged 5 pro slavery men from their homes
Hacked them to death in front of their families
End 1856 250 dead and $2 million in property damage