Religion played a major role in the lives of all citizens during the building and expansion of the United States into the West. Its greatest influence occurred upon not only the attitudes of people, but also their actions. Evangelicalism was the main religion which people lived by during the 1800s as its influence in the Second Great Awakening proved successful. Instead of preaching brimstone and hellfire sermons, ministers resorted to the hope left for humankind of becoming worthy of God. In turn, the people of the country committed to their families and lessened the amount of drinking and smoking done. "The American Reformer was the product of evangelical religion, which presented to every person the necessity for positive action to save his own soul." Each man believed now that his wrongdoing could not be undone but overshadowed by a number of good deeds. Therefore, a system likened to community service in the present was formed, helping little by little to improve the life of all citizens in the 1800s.
United States
Alexis de Tocqueville, French political thinker an...
7th day adventist reform movement redcliffe (3)Human morale also performed a part in contributing to the antebellum reform promoted by humanitarian goals of the time. Greater measures were taken to improve the quality of life for everyone and more importantly to behave appropriately at all times. Manners and etiquette developed from a desire of the upper classes to separate themselves from the lower classes of people although they did so in a discreet way. "[The American reformer] recognized that each cause he espoused was a part of a world of progress and aspiration, but peculiarly his was the freedom to experiment, for in his homeland there was room and hospitality for adventure." During this "era of good feeling," people were more inclined to choose a cause and stick with it to make the world better even in...