By the 1830s, several organized efforts for social reform had emerged. They were in response to a general sentiment to liberate the individual and impose order in a newly changing world. These movements aimed at a wide range of issues such as temperance, education, prisons, women’s rights, and slavery.
Drunkenness, as some would argue, was more of an issue during the mid nineteenth century rather then the twenty first. The average male during that time consumed three times as much alcohol when compared to his modern counterpart. The excess consumption led to more money being spent on alcohol instead of sustenance and sundries. It is also blamed as the top social vice which contributed to crime and disorder. (American History, p329) …show more content…
Their purpose became divided between abstaining from alcohol through their own conscience or state involvement to restrict the sale and consumption of alcohol. Regardless of the means, advocates agreed on the overall objective - to promote the moral self-improvement of the individual. (American History, p329)
The reform of education was an effort to stabilize social values. Those that contributed viewed the cause as a way to instill certain values such as thrift, order, discipline, punctuality, and respect for authority into the minds of children. It also coincided with the emerging belief that every person had an untapped capacity or an ability to achieve. The emphasis on the potential of the individual also extended to the Indian population. They believed the Indians could be “civilized” if they could be educated and assimilated into white culture. (American History, …show more content…
Up until that time, criminals and the mentally ill were lodged together in overcrowded crude prisons. By rescuing these individuals from despair, reformers believed they were providing a proper environment where they could be trained to lead a more productive life. Starting as soon as the 1921, several states began building facilities specifically designed for either criminals or those that were mentally. “Penitentiaries” were meant to give criminals an opportunity to ponder their deviant behavior through solitary confinement. (American History, p333)
The era of individual reform also gave birth to the first American feminist movement. The industrialization of America led to a shift in the family dynamic. This new set of barriers and the existing restrictions caused growing resentment among women. They claimed that men and women were created equal. Since both were moral and accountable beings, the abilities for both should be the same. (American History,
Drunkenness, as some would argue, was more of an issue during the mid nineteenth century rather then the twenty first. The average male during that time consumed three times as much alcohol when compared to his modern counterpart. The excess consumption led to more money being spent on alcohol instead of sustenance and sundries. It is also blamed as the top social vice which contributed to crime and disorder. (American History, p329) …show more content…
Their purpose became divided between abstaining from alcohol through their own conscience or state involvement to restrict the sale and consumption of alcohol. Regardless of the means, advocates agreed on the overall objective - to promote the moral self-improvement of the individual. (American History, p329)
The reform of education was an effort to stabilize social values. Those that contributed viewed the cause as a way to instill certain values such as thrift, order, discipline, punctuality, and respect for authority into the minds of children. It also coincided with the emerging belief that every person had an untapped capacity or an ability to achieve. The emphasis on the potential of the individual also extended to the Indian population. They believed the Indians could be “civilized” if they could be educated and assimilated into white culture. (American History, …show more content…
Up until that time, criminals and the mentally ill were lodged together in overcrowded crude prisons. By rescuing these individuals from despair, reformers believed they were providing a proper environment where they could be trained to lead a more productive life. Starting as soon as the 1921, several states began building facilities specifically designed for either criminals or those that were mentally. “Penitentiaries” were meant to give criminals an opportunity to ponder their deviant behavior through solitary confinement. (American History, p333)
The era of individual reform also gave birth to the first American feminist movement. The industrialization of America led to a shift in the family dynamic. This new set of barriers and the existing restrictions caused growing resentment among women. They claimed that men and women were created equal. Since both were moral and accountable beings, the abilities for both should be the same. (American History,