Antebellum Reforms essays

Antebellum Reforms essays Webster defines the word antebellum as existing before a war (especially the Civil War). The Civil War was a means for reform, but there were many reforms that took place before the Civil War; some of which became issues in the war. Some of these reforms dealt with Christianity in the government and public schools, slavery and womens rights and the morality of war. President-elect Andrew Jackson wanted the people of America to become elevated so that they would become endowed with divinity. He felt by this endowment they could perfect the institutions of America and God would lead and speak through the people in their democracy. On the other hand Horace Mann felt that the most important thing to do in order to insure the survival of the American government was to guarantee that public schools were properly educating their students since one day those students would run the government. He felt that if the students were not given the proper guidance the government would self-destruct. These to men have different opinions of the best way to do the same thing, guarantee the prosperity of America. A very important reform that took place was equality. William Lloyd Garrison was the most prominent and uncompromising abolitionist in America. He felt that all slaves should be freed and that slave owners should receive no compensation because they were committing a sin by keeping slaves. Garrison felt that the Declaration of Independence applied to all people, including slaves. The Declaration of Sentiments, issued by the womens rights conventions at Seneca Falls, New York in July 1848 fought for equal rights for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Frederick Douglass were some of the abolitionist that fought in the womens rights movement. They also felt that the Declaration of Independence applied to all people, including women. The Declaration of Sentiments actually adds the word women into the Decla...