“How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today?”
– Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
The Constitution and Bill of Rights defined the structure of the US government and the rights of
its citizens. But as the new nation embarked on its experiment with democracy, it soon became
clear that rights were not equally protected for everyone in America.
In the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War, reformers and radicals from
a variety of communities began actively agitating for change and the expansion of rights. The
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution opened the doors to the idea that all
Americans should enjoy equality and liberty. But what steps would be necessary to make these
promises real?
The Assignment:
In a thoughtful, well-written essay, answer the following question:
In the period between 1790 and 1860, what strategies did activists use to agitate for reform?
What methods did they use to influence politics, the government, and public opinion?
In your answer, you may want to consider the abolition movement, the women’s rights
movement, worker’s protests, or any other protest movement from the period that we have
studied. Be sure to cite specific examples from the primary and secondary sources.
Sources:
You are not required to conduct additional research for this assignment. Your answer should
be based on the sources we have examined so far in this class. Your secondary sources are the
class videos and American Yawp. And you must use primary source evidence in this essay.
In particular, you may find these primary sources helpful:
• The Declaration of Sentiments
• Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech, and his
autobiography
• Civil Disobedience