Preview Extract
Chapter Twelve
The Pursuit Of Perfection
Multiple Choice
1. Which of these was used successfully in the early 1800s to increase church membership?
A) overseas missionary activity
B) ecumenicalism
C) revivalism
D) spiritualism
E) marketing tactics
Answer: C
Rationale:
Revivalism, characterized by large-scale religious meetings, emotional preaching, and
personal conversion experiences, was successfully used in the early 1800s to increase church
membership during the Second Great Awakening. Revivals drew large crowds and sparked
widespread religious enthusiasm, leading to a significant expansion of evangelical
Christianity across the United States.
2. What was the Second Great Awakening?
A) a wave of religious revivals
B) a political movement to abolish slavery
C) an early women’s rights movement
D) a reform movement to educate more American children
E) a creative movement that revolutionized American art
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Second Great Awakening was a wave of religious revivals that swept across the United
States in the early 19th century. It was characterized by a fervent revivalist movement,
marked by large-scale religious gatherings, emotional preaching, and a focus on personal
conversion and spiritual renewal.
3. Which religiously liberal group of the early nineteenth century denied the doctrine of the
Trinity?
A) Presbyterians
B) Congregationalists
C) Unitarians
D) Methodists
E) Mormons
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Unitarians were a religiously liberal group of the early nineteenth century who denied the
doctrine of the Trinity, believing in the unity of God rather than the traditional Christian
concept of the Trinity comprising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
4. Who was the first great practitioner of evangelical Calvinism?
A) Samuel John Mills
B) Lyman Beecher
C) Nathaniel Taylor
D) Horace Mann
E) Charles G. Finney
Answer: B
Rationale:
Lyman Beecher was the first great practitioner of evangelical Calvinism. He was a prominent
Presbyterian minister and theologian known for his fervent preaching style and advocacy for
evangelical principles, including the doctrines of Calvinism.
5. The idea that people could conduct their lives completely free of sin is called ________.
A) perfectionism
B) abolitionism
C) temperance
D) acceptance
E) purification
Answer: A
Rationale:
The idea that people could conduct their lives completely free of sin is called perfectionism.
It was a central belief of many evangelical Christians during the Second Great Awakening,
who sought to achieve moral perfection through religious conversion and spiritual renewal.
6. Lyman Beecher was especially influential in which one of the following reform
movements?
A) abolition
B) mental asylum reform
C) prison reform
D) public school reform
E) temperance
Answer: E
Rationale:
Lyman Beecher was especially influential in the temperance movement, which aimed to
combat the consumption of alcohol in American society. He was a leading advocate for
temperance, delivering sermons and writings condemning the evils of alcohol and promoting
abstinence.
7. What was the Washingtonian Society?
A) an evangelical group that focused on converting the working classes to Christianity
B) a group of Christian women who traveled the country preaching the evils of alcoholism
C) a political faction that used the Constitution as a basis for their antislavery movement
D) a temperance group whose members discussed their struggles with alcoholism
E) a secret society that prompted many of the social and religious reforms during the 1800s
Answer: D
Rationale:
The Washingtonian Society was a temperance group whose members discussed their
struggles with alcoholism. It was founded in 1840 in Baltimore by a group of reformed
alcoholics who sought to support each other in their efforts to maintain sobriety and promote
temperance principles.
8. What did the term “benevolent empire” refer to?
A) a United States without slavery
B) the English-speaking Christian colonies
C) a group of Christian churches that focused on helping the poor
D) a group of missionary and reform societies that worked together
E) the Kingdom of Heaven
Answer: D
Rationale:
The term "benevolent empire" referred to a group of missionary and reform societies that
worked together to promote social and moral reform in the United States during the early
19th century. These societies, which included organizations focused on missions, temperance,
education, and other charitable endeavors, collaborated to advance their shared goals of moral
improvement and social welfare.
9. What was considered the “proper” sphere for middle-class white women in the nineteenth
century?
A) helping with her husband’s small business
B) being involved in the arts and literature
C) keeping house and raising a family
D) working on tasks that did not need physical strength
E) wage-earning outside the home
Answer: C
Rationale:
In the nineteenth century, the "proper" sphere for middle-class white women was considered
to be keeping house and raising a family. This concept, known as the Cult of Domesticity,
emphasized women's roles as homemakers and mothers, focusing on domestic duties and
nurturing their families.
10. Who were primarily affected by the Cult of Domesticity?
A) relatively affluent women
B) middle-class men
C) working-class women
D) African-American women
E) recent immigrants
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Cult of Domesticity primarily affected relatively affluent women, particularly those
belonging to the middle and upper classes. It promoted ideals of domesticity, piety, and
purity, prescribing strict gender roles and expectations for women to prioritize their roles as
wives and mothers within the household.
11. What was the focus of the feminine subculture for many middle-class women during the
nineteenth century?
A) establishing that women are morally superior to men
B) establishing a sense of solidarity with other women
C) gaining political equality with men
D) gaining economic equality with men
E) competition with other women to be most virtuous
Answer: B
Rationale:
During the nineteenth century, the focus of the feminine subculture for many middle-class
women was to establish a sense of solidarity with other women. This was evident in various
women's organizations and activities aimed at fostering connections and support networks
among women, such as literary societies, sewing circles, and reform movements like
temperance and abolition.
12. What was considered the main function of the family unit in the nineteenth century?
A) to establish a good name for the family
B) to maintain the family’s reputation
C) to contribute to the economy
D) to defend family members against outsiders
E) to raise children
Answer: E
Rationale:
In the nineteenth century, the main function of the family unit was considered to be raising
children. Families were responsible for nurturing and educating children, instilling moral
values, and preparing them for their future roles in society.
13. Nineteenth-century parents began using ________ instead of corporal punishment to
enforce good behavior among their children.
A) fear
B) praise
C) bribery
D) shame
E) humor
Answer: D
Rationale:
In the nineteenth century, parents began using shame instead of corporal punishment to
enforce good behavior among their children. Shame was often employed as a disciplinary
tool to instill a sense of moral responsibility and conformity to societal norms.
14. What was considered to be the most important function of the school in the midnineteenth century?
A) intellectual training
B) vocational training
C) moral indoctrination
D) child care
E) physical conditioning
Answer: C
Rationale:
In the mid-nineteenth century, the most important function of the school was considered to be
moral indoctrination. Schools were viewed as institutions responsible for instilling moral
values, religious principles, and social norms in students, alongside intellectual and academic
training.
15. Which of the following men was the most influential spokesman for the common school
movement?
A) John Harward
B) Lyman Beecher
C) Henry James
D) Horace Mann
E) Terrance Knox
Answer: D
Rationale:
Horace Mann was the most influential spokesman for the common school movement. As the
Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, Mann advocated for public education
reform and played a key role in promoting the establishment of common schools throughout
the United States.
16. In addition to reading, writing, and arithmetic, mid-nineteenth-century public schools
taught ________.
A) abolitionist ideals
B) the Protestant ethic
C) Catholicism
D) the evils of industrialization
E) the merits of science over religion
Answer: B
Rationale:
In addition to reading, writing, and arithmetic, mid-nineteenth-century public schools taught
the Protestant ethic. This included moral and religious instruction emphasizing values such as
hard work, thrift, self-discipline, and obedience to authority, which were believed to be
essential for success in both personal and professional life.
17. Which American president had little formal education as a child, but sharpened his
intellect through participation in debating societies and lyceums?
A) James K. Polk
B) John Quincy Adams
C) Abraham Lincoln
D) James Garfield
E) Franklin Pierce
Answer: C
Rationale:
Abraham Lincoln had little formal education as a child but sharpened his intellect through
participation in debating societies and lyceums. Despite his lack of formal schooling, Lincoln
was largely self-educated and became a skilled orator and lawyer, eventually rising to become
the 16th President of the United States.
18. The radical abolitionist and cofounder of the American Anti-slavery Society was
________.
A) William Lloyd Garrison
B) Theodore Weld
C) Sojourner Truth
D) Harriet Beecher Stowe
E) Harriet Tubman
Answer: A
Rationale:
The radical abolitionist and cofounder of the American Anti-slavery Society was William
Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement, known for his
uncompromising stance against slavery and his influential newspaper, The Liberator.
19. Whose career demonstrated the tie between revivalism and abolitionism?
A) Lewis Tappan
B) Theodore Dwight Weld
C) Charles G. Finney
D) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
E) Harriet Tubman
Answer: B
Rationale:
Theodore Dwight Weld's career demonstrated the tie between revivalism and abolitionism.
Weld was a prominent abolitionist and reformer who was deeply influenced by the religious
revivalism of the Second Great Awakening. He played a key role in organizing the American
Anti-slavery Society and advocating for the abolition of slavery through religious and moral
arguments.
20. Where did antislavery orators and organizers tend to have their greatest success?
A) border states
B) the upper North
C) large cities
D) frontier territories
E) northern state legislatures
Answer: B
Rationale:
Antislavery orators and organizers tended to have their greatest success in the upper North.
These regions had a higher concentration of abolitionist sentiment and were more receptive to
antislavery arguments and movements compared to the border states or southern territories.
21. William Lloyd Garrison’s stand on _________ led to an open break at the national
convention of the American Anti-slavery Society in 1840.
A) interracial marriage
B) African-American rights
C) religion
D) temperance
E) women’s rights
Answer: E
Rationale:
William Lloyd Garrison’s advocacy for women’s rights, including their involvement in the
abolitionist movement and their right to speak out publicly, led to an open break at the
national convention of the American Anti-slavery Society in 1840. Garrison's support for
women's active participation in social and political causes was controversial and faced
opposition from some members of the society.
22. Frederick Douglass was all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) a former slave
B) the founder of the black newspaper North Star
C) a prominent black abolitionist
D) a fiery orator, who described slavery to northern audiences
E) a presidential candidate in 1868
Answer: E
Rationale:
Frederick Douglass was all of the listed options except for being a presidential candidate in
1868. Douglass was a former slave, a prominent black abolitionist, a founder of the black
newspaper North Star, and a powerful orator who eloquently spoke out against slavery.
However, he did not run for president in 1868.
23. Who were the main conductors on the Underground Railroad?
A) sympathetic plantation owners in the South
B) freed slaves in the Southwest
C) free blacks in the North
D) affluent whites in the North
E) working-class whites
Answer: C
Rationale:
The main conductors on the Underground Railroad were free blacks in the North. These
individuals played a crucial role in guiding escaped slaves to freedom by providing shelter,
food, and assistance along the secret network of routes and safe houses known as the
Underground Railroad.
24. Which of the following women became one of the most significant leaders of the
women’s rights movement?
A) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
B) Mother Ann Lee
C) Dorothea Dix
D) Harriet Beecher Stowe
E) Louisa May Alcott
Answer: A
Rationale:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton became one of the most significant leaders of the women’s rights
movement. Stanton was a key figure in organizing the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848,
where the Declaration of Sentiments, demanding women's rights, was drafted. She dedicated
her life to advocating for women's suffrage and equality.
25. What significant event occurred in 1848, at Seneca Falls, New York?
A) the largest religious revival in American history
B) the first national gathering of feminists
C) an anti-Mormon riot in which several were killed
D) the beginning of the radical antislavery movement
E) the cession of the Ohio Valley to the United States
Answer: B
Rationale:
The significant event that occurred in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York, was the first national
gathering of feminists. The Seneca Falls Convention marked the beginning of the women's
rights movement in the United States and is often considered the birthplace of the women's
suffrage movement.
26. In contrast to the North, revivalism in southern states did not ________.
A) seek to improve the morals of society
B) push for social reform
C) encourage temperance
D) discourage dueling
E) have an impact on religious life
Answer: B
Rationale:
In contrast to the North, revivalism in southern states did not push for social reform. While
revivalism in the North often intertwined with social reform movements such as abolitionism
and temperance, revivalism in the South tended to focus more narrowly on religious
conversion and spiritual revival, with less emphasis on broader social issues.
27. The reform movement in New England began as a(n) ________.
A) effort to defend Calvinism against Enlightenment ideas
B) attempt to maintain the status quo in religion
C) result of the actions of social radicals in religion
D) outgrowth of deism
E) rejection of Catholicism
Answer: A
Rationale:
The reform movement in New England began as an effort to defend Calvinism against
Enlightenment ideas. New England Calvinists sought to revitalize their religious traditions
and counter the perceived threats posed by secularism, rationalism, and other Enlightenment
influences. This led to various religious revivals and reform movements in the region during
the early 19th century.
28. What did radical revivalist Charles G. Finney do that was considered a violation of
tradition?
A) He allowed women to join his church.
B) He allowed women to pray aloud in church.
C) He relied on rational, scientific arguments to win converts.
D) His sermons were lengthy, sometimes lasting two hours.
E) He did not believe in a mysterious, all-powerful God.
Answer: B
Rationale:
Radical revivalist Charles G. Finney allowed women to pray aloud in church, which was
considered a violation of tradition. This departure from the norm challenged traditional
gender roles and expectations within religious institutions, empowering women to participate
more actively in public religious activities.
29. As a result of revivalism, northern evangelicals were involved with each of the following
EXCEPT ________.
A) abolitionism
B) missionary and benevolent associations
C) the temperance movement
D) Indian removal
E) publication of religious tracts
Answer: D
Rationale:
As a result of revivalism, northern evangelicals were involved with each of the listed options
except for Indian removal. Revivalism in the North often coincided with social reform
movements such as abolitionism, temperance, and missionary work, as well as the
publication of religious tracts to spread evangelical beliefs. However, Indian removal was not
typically associated with the activities of northern evangelicals.
30. What was true about the temperance movement of the nineteenth century?
A) It was created to help unmarried women survive in the workforce.
B) It led to a rise in organized crime due to criminalization of alcohol consumption.
C) It was the least successful reform movement of the era.
D) It was created to address alcohol consumption rates much lower than modern rates.
E) It addressed a very real social problem of the time.
Answer: E
Rationale:
The temperance movement of the nineteenth century addressed a very real social problem of
the time, namely the widespread abuse and negative societal consequences of alcohol
consumption. Concern
31. The temperance movement was like the abolition movement in ________.
A) spawning Washingtonian societies
B) being popular in both the North and the South
C) being part of an international movement
D) involving women and black activists in important roles
E) being restricted largely to the North
Answer: D
Rationale:
Both the temperance movement and the abolition movement involved women and black
activists in important roles. Women and African Americans played significant roles in both
movements, advocating for social change and contributing to the activism and leadership
within their respective causes.
32. Each of the following was a result of the temperance campaign of the 1830s EXCEPT
________.
A) thousands of local temperance organizations were set up
B) large numbers of confirmed drunkards were cured
C) temperance became a mark of respectability among middle-class men
D) per capita consumption of hard liquor declined by over 50 percent
E) the drinking habits of middle-class American males were significantly altered
Answer: B
Rationale:
The statement that large numbers of confirmed drunkards were cured is not a result of the
temperance campaign of the 1830s. While the temperance movement led to the establishment
of thousands of local temperance organizations, increased respectability of temperance
among the middle class, significant declines in alcohol consumption, and changes in drinking
habits, it did not have the effect of curing large numbers of confirmed drunkards.
33. The reality behind the Cult of Domesticity was ________.
A) the growing urban population of the nation
B) the accepted use of child labor
C) a growing division between the workplace and the home
D) the increasing acceptance of careers for women
E) the staggering number of women dying during childbirth
Answer: C
Rationale:
The reality behind the Cult of Domesticity was a growing division between the workplace
and the home. The Cult of Domesticity idealized women's roles within the home as
caregivers and nurturers, emphasizing the separation of spheres between men's work in the
public sphere and women's duties in the domestic sphere.
34. Which of these describe the effect of the Cult of Domesticity?
A) It spread the message that women had no value in the society.
B) It saw women as guardians of virtue within the family.
C) It idealized women who left their families for religious missions.
D) It taught that women should help the economic stability of their families.
E) It focused on the domestic role of men.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The Cult of Domesticity saw women as guardians of virtue within the family. This societal
ideal emphasized women's roles as moral and spiritual leaders within the household,
responsible for upholding family values and nurturing the next generation.
35. Why did Catharine Beecher argue that women should be schoolteachers?
A) Teaching was a form of parenting, at which women naturally excelled.
B) Women had a stronger moral sense than men.
C) Women were more intelligent than men.
D) Teaching was the only paid occupation for which women were qualified.
E) Women had better language and explication skills than men.
Answer: A
Rationale:
Catharine Beecher argued that women should be schoolteachers because teaching was a form
of parenting, at which women naturally excelled. Beecher believed that women's nurturing
instincts and maternal qualities made them well-suited for educating and shaping the minds
of young children, an extension of their traditional roles within the family.
36. Which of the following was NOT a major change in middle-class family life during the
nineteenth century?
A) Relationships between parents and children became more intimate.
B) The “Cult of Domesticity” gained ground.
C) Families became more child-centered.
D) More and more women worked outside the home.
E) The use of corporal punishment declined.
Answer: D
Rationale:
The statement "More and more women worked outside the home" is not a major change in
middle-class family life during the nineteenth century. While there were shifts in family
dynamics, including increased intimacy between parents and children, the rise of the Cult of
Domesticity, a focus on child-centeredness, and a decline in the use of corporal punishment,
the widespread participation of married women in the workforce was not a prevalent feature
of middle-class family life during this period.
37. What was one of the results from changes in the middle-class family in the nineteenthcentury?
A) Children left home sooner.
B) Children became more available for labor.
C) Children received more physical punishment than in earlier generations.
D) Children increasingly became viewed as individuals.
E) Children were often offered up for adoption.
Answer: D
Rationale:
One of the results from changes in the middle-class family in the nineteenth century was that
children increasingly became viewed as individuals. As family life became more childcentered and intimate, parents began to emphasize the unique needs, personalities, and
development of their children, treating them as individuals rather than simply as extensions of
the family unit.
38. Which of the following identifies a key reason why society began focusing on childhood
in the nineteenth century?
A) Children were becoming a larger part of the national economy.
B) Urban couples saw large families as an economic asset.
C) Religious revivalism made birth control and abortions impossible.
D) Families were getting larger and individual children became more highly valued.
E) Families got smaller.
Answer: E
Rationale:
Society began focusing on childhood in the nineteenth century partly because families got
smaller. As industrialization progressed and urbanization increased, families began to have
fewer children due to factors such as economic considerations, changes in social norms, and
the desire for a higher quality of life for each child. This shift led to increased attention to the
upbringing, education, and well-being of individual children.
39. Why did educational reformers want local schools to serve sometimes as a substitute for
the family?
A) They were worried that poor and immigrant families would not properly nurture their
children.
B) They were worried that parents in poor and immigrant families often ended up getting
divorced.
C) They were afraid that many families would resist the new child-centered model of family
life they endorsed for religious reasons.
D) They were worried that parents in wealthy families often ended up getting divorced.
E) They were worried that parents in poor and immigrant families often ended up abandoning
their children.
Answer: A
Rationale:
Educational reformers wanted local schools to serve sometimes as a substitute for the family
because they were worried that poor and immigrant families would not properly nurture their
children. They believed that schools could provide essential moral and intellectual guidance
to children who might not receive adequate support or education at home due to
socioeconomic circumstances or cultural barriers.
40. In practice, working-class families viewed the new public schools ________.
A) as depriving them of needed wage earners
B) as essential to the improvement of their economic situation
C) with indifference
D) as an indication of upper-class paternalism
E) as a welcome learning opportunity for themselves and their children
Answer: A
Rationale:
In practice, working-class families viewed the new public schools as depriving them of
needed wage earners. While public schools offered educational opportunities for children,
many working-class families relied on their children's labor to contribute to household
income. Therefore, the requirement to send children to school could be perceived as a loss of
vital economic support rather than as a benefit for family or individual advancement.
41. Which statement below is true of the American Colonization Society?
A) African countries refused to participate in the program.
B) It advocated immediate emancipation of slaves.
C) It was opposed by African Americans in the North.
D) Government intervention hampered its efforts.
E) It was responsible for most of the emancipations prior to the Civil War.
Answer: C
Rationale:
The American Colonization Society was opposed by African Americans in the North. African
Americans saw the colonization movement as a form of forced deportation and rejected the
notion that they should leave the United States, the country of their birth, to settle in Africa.
42. Which of the following movements of the nineteenth century had the greatest influence
on the development of the abolitionist movement?
A) Cult of Domesticity
B) extension of public education
C) women’s rights movement
D) temperance movement
E) Second Great Awakening
Answer: E
Rationale:
The Second Great Awakening had the greatest influence on the development of the
abolitionist movement. This religious revival movement sparked a wave of social reform,
including abolitionism, as it emphasized the principles of individual moral responsibility,
human equality, and the inherent sinfulness of slavery.
43. How did working-class urban whites generally feel about the abolitionist movement?
A) They supported abolitionism because they thought the institution of slavery was morally
wrong.
B) They supported abolitionism because they thought it would lead to more economic
opportunities.
C) They resisted abolitionism because they sincerely believed that African Americans were
happier in slavery than they would be as free people.
D) They resisted abolitionism because they worried about the collapse of the cotton industry.
E) They resisted abolitionism because they did not want to compete socially and
economically with African Americans.
Answer: E
Rationale:
Working-class urban whites generally resisted abolitionism because they did not want to
compete socially and economically with African Americans. They feared that the abolition of
slavery would lead to increased competition for jobs and social status, particularly in urban
areas where free African Americans were already present.
44. What was the main source of tension between black and white abolitionists?
A) Black abolitionists thought that white abolitionists were too radical.
B) White abolitionists thought that black abolitionists were too radical.
C) White abolitionists protested that they did not have a fair share of influence and leadership
positions in the movement.
D) Black abolitionists protested that they did not have a fair share of influence and leadership
positions in the movement.
E) White abolitionists did not want to end slavery immediately, whereas black abolitionists
did.
Answer: D
Rationale:
The main source of tension between black and white abolitionists was that black abolitionists
protested that they did not have a fair share of influence and leadership positions in the
movement. Despite their significant contributions to the cause, black abolitionists often faced
marginalization and discrimination within predominantly white abolitionist organizations.
45. Abolitionism served as a catalyst for the ________ movement.
A) temperance
B) women’s rights
C) utopian socialist
D) transcendentalist
E) prison reform
Answer: B
Rationale:
Abolitionism served as a catalyst for the women’s rights movement. The shared principles of
human equality and the struggle against oppression inspired many women to become
involved in both causes, leading to significant overlap and cooperation between abolitionists
and early women’s rights activists.
46. What was a major goal of the early women’s rights activists in the mid-1800s?
A) to free unmarried women from laws that did not allow them to work outside the home
B) to give married women some control of themselves, their property, and their children
C) to enact laws that would require men to participate equally in household duties such as
child-rearing
D) to convince more women to run for public office
E) procuring the right to vote
Answer: B
Rationale:
A major goal of the early women’s rights activists in the mid-1800s was to give married
women some control of themselves, their property, and their children. Women's rights
activists, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, advocated for legal reforms to
grant married women rights and autonomy within marriage, including property rights and
custody rights over their children.
47. Which of the following individuals is INCORRECTLY matched with his or her reform
movement?
A) Lyman Beecher: temperance
B) Horace Mann: public schools
C) Theodore Dwight Weld: abolition
D) Elizabeth Cady Stanton: women’s rights
E) David Walker: prison reform
Answer: E
Rationale:
The individual incorrectly matched with his reform movement is David Walker. He was a
prominent African American abolitionist known for his radical anti-slavery pamphlet "Appeal
to the Colored Citizens of the World," but he was not associated with prison reform.
48. Which statement best characterizes how evangelical culture changed the role of women in
American society?
A) Women began to expect their husbands to contribute more to household chores and the
duties of raising children.
B) Women became less important figures to the home and family.
C) Women became more confined to the home but became more important inside it.
D) Women were expected to make a larger economic contribution to the society than ever
before.
E) Women were given more active roles and public leadership positions.
Answer: C
Rationale:
The statement that best characterizes how evangelical culture changed the role of women in
American society is that women became more confined to the home but became more
important inside it. The Cult of Domesticity, influenced by evangelicalism, idealized women's
roles as moral guardians and nurturers within the home, emphasizing their domestic duties
and moral influence over their families.
49. Why has the nineteenth century been identified as “the century of the child”?
A) Parents began having more children, and larger families required more attention.
B) Parents had a new attitude towards childhood, and families became child-centered.
C) Medical advances made it possible for more children to survive to adulthood.
D) Children became a more important part of the labor force.
E) For the first time ever, children began to spend money in the economy.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The nineteenth century has been identified as "the century of the child" because parents had a
new attitude towards childhood, and families became child-centered. During this period, there
was a growing emphasis on the unique needs and welfare of children, leading to changes in
parenting practices, educational reforms, and social attitudes towards childhood.
50. In what way do historians consider the abolitionist movement of the 1830s and 1840s to
be a success?
A) It brought the issue of slavery into the public consciousness.
B) It convinced most people that slavery should be abolished immediately.
C) It peacefully converted many slaveholders to abolition.
D) It led to a marked decrease in racism among northern urban whites.
E) It orchestrated the emancipation of thousands of slaves.
Answer: A
Rationale:
Historians consider the abolitionist movement of the 1830s and 1840s to be a success because
it brought the issue of slavery into the public consciousness.
Essay
1. How did the American social reform movement evolve out of the Second Great
Awakening?
Answer: The American social reform movement evolved out of the Second Great Awakening
as a response to the religious fervor and moral convictions that characterized the revivalist
movement. The emphasis on individual moral responsibility, salvation, and the belief in the
possibility of societal improvement fueled various reform efforts aimed at addressing social
injustices, such as poverty, inequality, and vice. Reformers drew inspiration from religious
teachings to advocate for social change and pursued reforms in areas such as temperance,
abolitionism, women's rights, education, and prison reform, reflecting the moral imperative to
create a more just and virtuous society.
2. How did the social reform movement of the early nineteenth century affect women,
children, and the family?
Answer: The social reform movement of the early nineteenth century had significant impacts
on women, children, and the family. Women played active roles in various reform
movements, including abolitionism, temperance, and women's rights, challenging traditional
gender roles and advocating for social change. Reform efforts aimed at improving the
conditions of women and children led to campaigns for women's suffrage, legal rights for
married women, and improved access to education and employment opportunities.
Additionally, reforms such as the establishment of public education systems and child labor
laws aimed to protect the rights and welfare of children, recognizing them as vulnerable
members of society deserving of care and education. These reforms reshaped notions of
family dynamics and responsibilities, promoting ideals of equality, education, and social
welfare within familial and societal structures.
3. What were the major goals of the expanded and improved public education system of the
1830s and 1840s? How did these goals reflect the influence of the Second Great Awakening?
Answer: The major goals of the expanded and improved public education system of the
1830s and 1840s included increasing access to education, promoting moral and religious
instruction, and fostering civic virtue and social mobility. These goals reflected the influence
of the Second Great Awakening, which emphasized the importance of moral and religious
education in shaping individuals and society. Reformers believed that education was essential
for cultivating virtuous citizens capable of contributing to the common good and participating
in democratic governance. As a result, efforts to expand public education sought to provide
universal access to schooling, integrate moral and religious teachings into the curriculum, and
promote the values of discipline, industry, and social responsibility among students. The
emphasis on education as a means of moral and social upliftment mirrored the evangelical
zeal of the Second Great Awakening, underscoring the belief in the transformative power of
education to instill moral character and foster social progress.
4. As early nineteenth-century American reformers struggled with the issue of slavery, what
different approaches did they take in dealing with it? How did the rise of the “new
perfectionism” affect the antislavery movement?
Answer: Early nineteenth-century American reformers employed various approaches in
addressing the issue of slavery, ranging from gradual emancipation and colonization to
immediate abolitionism and moral suasion. Some reformers, such as the American
Colonization Society, advocated for gradual emancipation and the resettlement of freed slaves
to Africa, reflecting a belief in racial segregation and the perceived challenges of integrating
free blacks into American society. Others, including prominent abolitionists like William
Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass, adopted more radical positions, calling for the
immediate and unconditional abolition of slavery and the recognition of the equal rights of all
individuals, regardless of race. The rise of the "new perfectionism," influenced by evangelical
revivalism and the Second Great Awakening, infused the antislavery movement with moral
fervor and a sense of divine mission. Proponents of the new perfectionism emphasized the
moral imperative to combat sin and injustice, viewing slavery as a grave moral evil
incompatible with Christian principles of love and equality. This religiously inspired zeal
fueled the growth of the abolitionist movement and galvanized efforts to mobilize public
opinion, engage in moral suasion, and demand immediate action to end the institution of
slavery.
Test Bank for The American Story
Robert A. Divine, T. H. Breen, R. Hal Williams, Ariela J. Gross, H. W. Brands
9780205900688
