Chapter 11: Religion and Reform

Question 1

individualism

Answer 1

A cultural and philosophical emphasis on individual freedom, self-reliance, and self-expression, prominent in 19th-century America.

Question 2

American Renaissance

Answer 2

A literary and cultural movement in the mid-19th century marked by the emergence of American authors like Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Melville.

Question 3

transcendentalism

Answer 3

A philosophical and literary movement in the 19th century emphasizing the inherent goodness of people and nature, individual intuition, and the importance of self-reliance.

Question 4

utopias

Answer 4

Experimental communities and social movements aimed at creating ideal or perfect societies, often based on religious or philosophical principles.

Question 5

socialism

Answer 5

An economic and political ideology advocating for the collective ownership of the means of production and the redistribution of wealth.

Question 6

perfectionism

Answer 6

A religious and social movement in the 19th century that sought to achieve moral and spiritual perfection through personal transformation.

Question 7

Mormonism

Answer 7

The religious movement founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s, leading to the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Question 8

minstrelsy

Answer 8

A form of entertainment in the 19th century featuring white performers in blackface makeup, perpetuating racial stereotypes and caricatures.

Question 9

abolitionism

Answer 9

A social and political movement advocating for the immediate and complete abolition of slavery in the United States.

Question 10

Underground Railroad

Answer 10

A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved individuals to escape to freedom in the North.

Question 11

amalgamation

Answer 11

The idea of racial mixing and intermarriage, often opposed by segregationists and white supremacists.

Question 12

gag rule

Answer 12

A series of congressional resolutions in the 1830s and 1840s that prohibited the discussion of slavery in Congress, designed to suppress abolitionist views.

Question 13

separate sphere

Answer 13

The division of gender roles in the 19th century, with men seen as responsible for public life and women for domestic and private matters.

Question 14

domestic slavery

Answer 14

The practice of employing enslaved individuals to perform household labor and chores in the South.

Question 15

married women’s property laws

Answer 15

Legal reforms in the 19th century that granted married women greater control over their property and earnings.

Question 16

Seneca Falls Convention

Answer 16

A women’s rights convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848, where the Declaration of Sentiments was adopted, demanding women’s suffrage and equal rights.