Walters, Ronald. American Reformers, 1815-1960. Book Report

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For many reformers reform was almost like a religious conversion, satisfying their spiritual and societal needs. And most of the reformers were of younger age though in some instances they pressed for conservative reforms. Reformers of the nineteenth century were different from their predecessors in the eighteenth century in believing, unlike their predecessors, that the change could be brought about from the bottom up, that it should come form the individual. In contrast to their predecessors, reformers of the nineteenth century were anti-elitist. Therefore, many reformers championed abolitionism, women's rights, temperance, and institutional reforms for the socially disadvantaged: the poor, the insane, the uneducated, and even criminals. Walters does not suggest that all reform movements were liberating. They could be repressive too, as some reformers advocated slavery.

Walters places significant emphasis on Protestant Evangelicalism, which he puts at the heart of social forces which inspired reformers the strongest. But with the Civil War, which killed the most emotional cause for reformers to pursue -- that is, abolition of slavery -- and industrialization of the Gilded Age era, millennial and religious views gave way to secular modes of understanding human nature.

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People began to reject that morality was absolute, develop tolerance for diversity, and champion equality for African-Americans and women.

American Reformers is an important book and contributes greatly to our understanding of antebellum America. It informs us that the reformers are the products of their time. By understanding the reformers of the antebellum America in the context of political, economic, and social changes at the time, we can see other reform movements in U.S. history in a similar light. The book also reminds us that the emergence of people who challenge conventional beliefs and wisdoms are not necessarily a threat to our society. On the contrary, they provide us with a different mirror through which we can see our mistakes and which offer us ways of addressing those….....

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