Unit 4 Introduction
Jacksonian America and Antebellum Reform
The fourth unit of the class takes up two themes happening at roughly the same time in the early nineteenth century.
First up is politics in the Age of Jackson. The period takes its name from the seventh president, Andrew Jackson. His presidency was a pivotal time in this country's history, forever changing the relationship of the presidency to the other branches of government. He was not universally admired. In fact, he was often despised. Yet, politics was definitively shaped by his goals, his personality, and his accomplishments. We'll take a deeper look at Jackson and his legacy by examining different perspectives on his presidency, one provided by a documentary, which is often critical of Jackson, and a more sympathetic take from Jackson's leading biographer.
The second topic is antebellum reform movements. Antebellum means "before the war," meaning before the Civil War, in this context. In this period, numerous groups banded together to fight social ills--everything from poverty, prostitution, and slavery to drunkenness and dueling. The reform movements achieved varying levels of success, which is not surprising given how hard it is to change personal behavior let alone the behavior, values, and beliefs of an entire society. As one example, we'll look in depth at the temperance movement and some of the strategies reformers used to fight alcoholism.
Unit 4 Overview
-Course Materials
In order to post a strong discussion and earn a high quiz score, please read the following textbook chapters. Once you've completed the readings, watch this week's documentary.
Read:
- 9 Jacksonian Democracy.pdf Download 9 Jacksonian Democracy.pdf
- 10 Antebellum Idealism and Reform.pdf Download 10 Antebellum Idealism and Reform.pdf
- Read Robert Remini "Democracy," Download Democracy," in The Legacy of Andrew Jackson: Essays on Democracy, Indian Removal, and Slavery, 7-44. This essay provides a more pro-Jackson counterpoint to the Jackson documentary. Unfortunately, it loaded sideways, so you have to rotate the pages or download it to read.
- Read Strategies of Sobriety, a collection of sources from people involved in the temperance movement.
Watch:
Watch documentary Legacy of an Autocratic Ruler.
-Assessments
After you've completed the readings and watched the documentary, post a discussion and take the Unit 4 quiz.
Post:
Choose ONE of the following discussion prompts to respond to. The discussion is worth 7 points. Your discussion must be posted by 11:59 on 10/17.
Extra Credit: You have two opportunities to receive extra credit on your discussion post.
- If you post your discussion by 11:59 on 10/10, you will receive a half-point (.5) point bonus.
- If you offer a substantial response to a fellow classmate's post by 11:59 on 10/17, you will receive a half-point (.5) point bonus.
Discussion Post Options:
Quiz:
The Unit 4 Quiz is 20 questions and worth 20 points. Complete the Unit 4 quiz by 11:59 on 10/17. Click here to access the Unit 4 Quiz.