As Americans entered an era of transition and instability, they sought to expand democratic ideals in the society. In response to sudden changes occurring and traditional values being challenged, various reform movements during 1825-1850 began to focus on democratic ideals. The rise of religious revivals, movements for equal rights and protecting liberties of different social groups, want to advance society technologically, and desire to bring order and control helped reform the society to live up to the nation’s founding ideals. Teaching them (I don’t get who “them” is) the habits of thrift, orderliness, temperance and industry was a way to not only better their lives but a way to instill certain democratic values and advance the …show more content…

The locomotive became a symbol of the drive of civilization, spreading it and America’s democracy to new, unseen horizons.
These unseen horizons were discovered through the reforms in the Antebellum Era, whose roots were mainly evangelical – religion tied into the belief that equality and salvation should be offered to everyone. This brought back tensions between the North and South when slavery became an issue with those ideals, which made the acted reforms not just a movement towards equality, but towards democracy as well. One of the most important reform movements in American history was the creation of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. The Declaration of Sentiments was established and those who wished to join the society had to sign the document which pledged to “secure to the colored population…all the rights and privileges that belong to them as men and as Americans.” This reform was different than most, because the people involved decided to use the old tactic of “moral suasion” instead of violence. These society members campaigned across the U.S., especially aiming to influence the South. They published abolitionist newspapers and other literature to raise awareness, attempted to make antislavery societies in every state and every town, and eventually brought so many petitions to Congress that although the “Gag Resolution”