Pros And Cons Of The Second Great Awakening

1. The Northeast industrialized rapidly for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is that, because of its geography, the Northeast had easy access to rivers/streams that provided power to factories. Another reason for the North’s industrialization is their superior education system. Education was very important to people in the northeast, so more universities were built and higher education was a priority. Another factor is the influx of immigrants from Europe (such as Samuel Slater) who brought with them techniques from their home countries that were used to improve upon American manufacturing methods. The South’s industrialization was slower because they didn’t feel the need that the North felt to industrialize. Agriculture was thriving

The Second Great Awakening encouraged social reform because many of the teachings at the Rochester/Cane Ridge Revivals and other gatherings like it emphasized principles of social equality and justice. Transcendentalism is a prime example of this because it focuses on the ability of all people to be in tune to the world around them; not just white men. Another main idea of the Second Great Awakening was that it was the responsibility of the people to go out and evangelize and help spread the ideas of the Second Great Awakening. Consequentially, many people felt inspired and empowered to do so, thus pushing the movements forward. Industrialization impacted reform because it prompted the use and subsequent regulation of child labor (eventually). It also resulted in the insurance and protection of workers, namely those on the railroad.
5. The literature of writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau during this period put emphasis on Transcendentalism. This was important because Transcendentalism reflected Jacksonian ideals of the power of the common man. Themes like this were common among Jacksonian era writers. Also, authors like Washington Irving wrote about expansion and other pertinent topics of the time, catching the attention of not only Americans, but also people in other

The Gag Rule showed that slavery was a threat to the South because they were so dependent on it for their economy that any talk of abolition was a direct threat. An economic in disaster in the South wouldn’t be good for the North either. The subject was so volatile that discussions of it were avoided altogether.
9. Jefferson felt that the issues discussed in the Missouri debate were an emergency and he was afraid that there was no solution that could be agreed upon by both sides. Discussions of the Missouri Compromise were not favorable to Jefferson because, as an advocate of states’ rights, he felt that the government would be overstepping its power by imposing such a policy. One of the biggest things that kept the federal government in check was the states’ power to decide. Without this, the states seemed to be powerless, which worried Jefferson greatly.
10. The Election of 1824 was controversial because, although Jackson won the popular vote by a landslide, John Quincy Adams won the Electoral College and was consequently the winner of the election. There was speculation that Adams had used a bribe in order to win the swing vote and that the election was rigged. What was at stake was a good leader vs someone that the people liked (which is the exact reason the Electoral College was put in place). Although Jackson’s background as a common man was favorable to many voters, his lack of education and experience was alarming to the Electoral College, and the vote reflected