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Chapter 15 : The Spirit of Reform |
Early American artists and writers copied the styles and themes popular in Europe. During the 1800s, however, American artists and writers turned to American subjects.
From the early to mid-1800s, reformers worked to improve American society. Some reforms resulted in better treatment of prisoners and mentally handicapped persons. Other reformers tried to check alcohol abuse. Although opposed by Southern planters and some Northerners, the antislavery movement gained strength. Abolitionists spoke publicly and wrote boldly in favor of an end to slavery. After 1840, women leaders started a movement of their own to gain equal rights with men. The status of women throughout the 1800s, however, remained inferior to that of men.
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