Test Essay: The Age of Jackson

The reformers of the nineteenth century shared a common belief that society and
human nature were inherently good, and this goodness is revealed through changes in social
institution and peoples behaviors. Reformers believed that changes in peoples behaviors led
to different views on social issues and a different understanding on slavery. In addition,
reformers believed that changes in the traditional roles of women allowed peoples inherent
goodness to prevail. In the first half of the nineteenth century, social and political reformers
believed that changes in peoples behavior and social institutions, such as temperance, slavery,
and womens rights, allowed humans innate goodness to prevail.
Many social institutions that reformers believed needed change were temperance and
education. The temperance movement, a social movement urging moderation in alcohol
consumption, was gathering speed at the start of the nineteenth century. On a particular
occasion, Abraham Lincoln had kindly, but firmly, persuaded the audience at the audience at
the Springfield Washington Temperance Society and advocated temperance (Doc H). The
temperance movement was to be a change in peoples behaviors, which would ultimately bring
out peoples natural goodness. In addition to temperance was the education movement, and
reformers believed that equal education results in a breakdown of the social barrier between
the rich and the poor. Horace Mann states that if men were equally educated, it would
counteract mans tendency to dominate the capital and enslave labor (Doc D). Reformers
believed that an intelligent and practical body of men could never be permanently poor and
education was key to bringing out the good in people. Reformers thought that changes in
education and temperance were important to allow humans inherent goodness to overcome
issues.
Another issue that called the attention of reformers was the dilemma of slavery. For
example, William Lloyd Garrison says that the end of slavery should be abrupt not a gradual end
and says that the institution is absurd and unjustifiable (Doc E). The concept of gradual
abolition was advocated by many reformers, but Garrison provides a strong argument
comparing gradual abolition to a moderate alarm given for a burning house. Reformers thought
the concept of liberty found in the Declaration of Independence contradicts the institution of
slavery in many ways. Henry David Thoreau describes an anecdote in which an innocent slave
was carried into slavery and connects it to the contradiction of Concords inhabitants
ycelebrating the This is especially hypocritical because it is pointed out that that the Declaration
of Independence, which states that all men have unalienable rights, are not granted to African-
Americans.