What Were the Reform Movements of the Antebellum Era?
Reform movements of the antebellum era addressed numerous issues including slavery, the role of women in society, temperance and virtue, education, labor and the rising disparity between the rich and the poor.
The antebellum era saw the rise of numerous movements throughout the country. The face of America was changing, and so were its values. Agrarian culture was slowly giving ground to industry, and the industrialization of America also created an emerging working class. At the same time, society’s views about slavery and women were changing. The abolitionists sought to end slavery. With the passage of the 15th Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote for all citizens of the United States except women, the women’s suffrage movement was born.
Reform movements, such as the temperance movement, were often moral and reactionary in nature, but many were driven by the growing demands and needs of workers. The first labor unions were organized in the 1820s and 1830s for maritime workers and seamstresses. Education reforms were also well under way, as was the belief that a free education should be available for all. Most movements during the antebellum era concerned labor, education and social classifications and structures that were redefined as a new and complex industrial society was created.
