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Sectionalism and Antebellum Reform Overview

Apr 20, 2025

Intensive Review: USHC 2.3 and 2.4

Key Concepts

  • Sectionalism and Antebellum Reform: Covering US history topics during the period 1820-1860.

Antebellum Period

  • Definition: Latin for "before the war," specifically the Civil War.
  • Time Frame: 1820 (Missouri Compromise) - 1860 (Election of Abraham Lincoln, start of the Civil War)
  • Characteristics: Marked by sectionalism, where politicians promoted sectional interests.

Sectionalism

  • Regions
    • North:
      • Economy: Emerging industry.
      • Political Leader: Daniel Webster.
      • Key Issues: Anti-slavery, pro-tariff for industrial development.
    • South:
      • Economy: Agricultural.
      • Political Leader: John C. Calhoun.
      • Key Issues: Pro-slavery, anti-tariff for agricultural trade.
    • West:
      • Economy: Developing, agricultural.
      • Political Leader: Henry Clay.
      • Key Issues: Economic development, American system (internal improvements, protective tariff, national bank).

Antebellum Reform Movements

  • Second Great Awakening: Religious revival leading to increased numbers of Baptists and Methodists.
  • Abolitionism:
    • Key Figures: William Lloyd Garrison ("The Liberator"), Frederick Douglass.
    • Objective: Abolish slavery due to moral reasons.
  • Temperance Movement: Anti-alcohol campaign, influenced by religious movements.
  • Women's Rights:
    • Key Figures: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony.
    • Key Event: Seneca Falls Convention, 1848.

Reform Movements Characteristics

  • Strongest in the North, weakest in the South.
  • Reform movements seen as progressive for the time.
  • Southern Reaction: Defensive stance on slavery, promoting it as beneficial.

Important Notes

  • The Liberator: William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist newspaper, published from 1831 to 1865.
  • Religious Influence: Reform movements often had a religious motivation, stemming from the Second Great Awakening.
  • Political Dynamics: The push against slavery in the North often resulted in defensive reactions from the South.

Conclusion

  • Summary: The lecture concludes with a transition to discussing the causes of the Civil War.
  • Upcoming: Transition to standard three, focusing on the Civil War's causes.

These notes summarize key points from a lecture on sectionalism and antebellum reform, providing a foundation for further study on the Civil War causes.

Full transcript