Evaluating the success of grassroots movements in the Age of Reform..

American grassroots reform movements goal was to improve an insufficient society. Though our American society was to be based upon freedom and equality, some were still unhappy with the outcome of American society. America steadily developed as a nation. Society began to not agree with American policies and began to impose new ideas within the growing nation. Conflicting opinions between the people of America is what caused the Age of Reform. The Age of Reform was a period of time, after the Second Great Awakening, in which reason was put over faith, where people began to try and change American outlooks on lives and responsibilities of women,slavery, the public educational system,and prison life. The Grassroots movements in the Age of Reform were both successful and unsuccessful in achieving their goals of women’s rights, abolition,public education, and prison reform.

During the Age of Reform, women and black slaves were equal to each other but not equal to the still powerful superiority of men. Both white women and black slaves could not vote. Though a difference can be noted that white women could very much so, own land as black slaves could not. Yet, as women married, their property was signed over to their husbands. The Age of Reform was time for women to capitalize on the opprotunity to seek liberty. The women's rights movement emerged as discontent by women no longer willing to undertake subjugation. A decade before, the Industrial Revolution had introduced the “Cult of Domesticity”. Movements led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, met at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. This is where women would express in the "Decleration of Rights Sentiments" thier demands. It also included obtaining women's property rights. Women's rights movements activists, were also involved in the abolitionist movement. Even with the fight for women's rights, women still had to wait until 1919 to even vote in federal elections.

Slavery played an important role in the development of the United States. It has had it's good and bad effects on society. Slavery has played a role in pesidential elections and played an even larger role in territorial expansion, like how the Union was unsure of whether Texas was to become a slave state or free. Or its role in the Missouri Compromise. Slavery was a major element of the Civil War. Some abolitionists wished to destroy slavery in completion. These abolitionists were citizens such as Fredrick Douglas and Harriet Tubman. Also, many other white northerns like William Lloyd Garrison, owner of The Liberator, an influential newspaper in abolitionist circles and Lucretia Coffin Mott risked their lives doing what they thought was better for society. Abolitionists did not take into consideration the negative effects aboloshing slavery could have on the infrastructure of American economy.

Many children at the time were schooled by their mother or father by means of Republican Motherhood. The Industrial Revolution introduced inventions as the cotton gin, mechanical reaper, and the steamboat. Many children did not have the time or money to go to school. Horace Mann was one of the most outspoken advocates of education reform. He believed in a tax-supported public schoopl, like CPS today. Noah Webster was noted as “The Schoolmaster of the Republic”. As white girls and boys were provided education, black children were still suffering from slavery. The statement “education for all” clearly did not mean for everyone.

American citizens whom were mentally ill were locked in poor houses and jails. People such as debtors were locked up for threatening the American economy. During the early 1800’s,Dorothea Dix, whom was outraged by the treatment of the mentally ill, paved a road for better treatment for the ill minded. Idealism changed from keeping criminals and ill patients apart from society to teaching them their wrong-doings.

Grassroots movements in the Age of Reform were made possible by leaders such as William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Coffin Mott, Horace Mann,and Dorothea Dix, whom were looking for ways to better American society. All of the movements have both their positive and negative affects on society. In conclusion, this is why grassroots movements in the Age of Reform were both successful and unsuccessful in achieving their goals of women’s rights, abolition,public education, and prison reform.