Santomartino 1

Deanna Santomartino
Mrs. Forner
AP U.S. History
29 January 2016
Movements Can & Will Make a Difference
Within the first half of the nineteenth century, the effect resulting from the Second Great
Awakening played an important role in both American identity and recognition. Although the
Second Great Awakening was classified as an influential religious revival movement, the major
effects are circulated around the abilities to stand up for what is believed to be right, especially
over controversial topics. The arguments over freedom and education are the building blocks that
led up to a change over time and the search for identity. With regards to slavery, abolitionism can
be classified as the result of this major controversy and forces Americans to be self-aware and
take a stand.
The goal of the abolitionist movement was the immediate emancipation of all slaves and
the end of racial discrimination and segregation. The two sides to this movement were those who
wanted immediate emancipation of slaves and those who were against an immediate change, but
instead, wanted gradual emancipation of slaves. At first, many Americans did not wish to stand
up and possess an identity over a particular dispute. In other words, Americans thought that they
could just sit back, stay in the clear, and be hopeful that their decision was made even though
they did nothing to help with it. On January 1, in 1863, President Lincoln formally issued the
Emancipation Proclamation, which called on the Union army to liberate all slaves in states still in
rebellion, leading up to three million slaves being forever free, and thus resulted in the Thirteenth
Amendment of the United States Constitution, which formally abolished slavery. Without the act

Santomartino 2
of showing awareness towards a particular issue and taking action, slavery would still be present
today. Similar to the dispute over slavery, another major controversy was whether a major
percentage of the American population had equal rights, such as the right to vote.
Since men are not the only gender within our society, many Americans argued over
whether women should have the same rights as men. The womens rights movement took place
from 1848-1920 and the first gathering devoted to womens rights in the United States was held
July 1920, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York. Other than the right to vote, many were outraged
with the fact that women were limited with family responsibilities, a lack of educational and
economic opportunities, and the absence of a voice in political debates. Eventually, the
recognition that these strong-willed women got, led up to when the House of Representatives
initially passed a voting rights amendment on January 10, 1918, but the Senate did not follow
suit before the end of the 65th Congress. A year later, on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment,
providing full voting rights for women nationally, was ratified when Tennessee became the 36th
state to approve it. If persistence was not expressed on this issue, women would not have gotten
the freedom that they so readily deserved and worked for. Although the equality of women was
widely disputed, education greatly impacted society because many sought for the right to be
educated.
Before the 1800s, education was poorly funded and most people could not attend school.
During the Second Great Awakening, it was thought that children would be better citizens if
educated. Horace Mann, also known as, the father of American public schools, led the major
reform movement that won widespread support in the effort to make education available to more
children. Mann took a stand on what he believed was right and set out to accomplish his goal.
The citizens voted to pay teachers higher salaries, to pay taxes to build better schools, and to

Santomartino 3
establish special training schools for teachers. In addition, Mann lengthened the school year to
six months and made improvements in school curriculum. By the mid-1800s, three basic
principles of public education were accepted by most states. These principles stated that school
should be free and supported by taxes, teachers should be trained, and children should be
required to attend school. Even though this reform movement spread awareness over child
education, America still did not offer education to everyone because most high schools and
colleges did not allow females. In 1837, Ohio's Oberlin College became the first college to
accept women and in 1837, Mary Lyon founded Mount Holyoke, the nation's first permanent
women's college. This demonstrates that when people obtain identity while fighting for a cause,
their voices are heard and a change can be made. Education for women, children, and other races
would not be possible without its recognition as an important necessity.
The Second Great Awakening allowed for Americans to have the freedom and power to
speak their opinions over controversial topics and choose to spread concern if they wish to do so.
Many Americans thought that it was acceptable within society to let others speak for what they
believed in and not take part in the process. All disputes made, such as the arguments over
education and freedom, began with an individual or group of people standing up for what they
thought was right and seeking to find a solution. Society has advanced in such a way that many
have developed true identities by having different beliefs that make each of us different. Even
though time has changed, no two people have the same exact belief or outlook on a particular
issue, which in reality, translates to the fact that no two people share the same American identity.