Reform Timeline

By floobed
  • Puritan Education

    Puritan Education
    The court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony decided to give populous towns a school. This was the foundation of public education for the United States.
  • Eighth Amendment

    Eighth Amendment
    The Eight Amendment is ratified, prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment for inmates. This later becomes reinforced by prison reform movement groups in the later future.
  • Seeds of Prohibition

    Seeds of Prohibition
    The sale of alcohol to drunkards is outlawed in Indiana, in addition to licenses needed to purchase alcohol.
  • Boston English

    Boston English
    The first public high school in the United States opens.
  • American Temperance Society

    American Temperance Society
    The first move to prohibiting the consumption of alcohol. It was seen as immoral and irreligious as it sometimes ruined families.
  • American Anti-Slavery Society

    American Anti-Slavery Society
    The founding of the Abolitionist group led by William Lloyd Garrison with Fredrick Douglass as a popular speaker. Although it had support, it often faced opposition resulting in violence.
  • Horace Mann

    Horace Mann
    Horace Mann, the secretary of Massachusett's board of education, created many of the modern styles of education, including separated grade levels and providing text books.
  • Dorothea Dix

    Dorothea Dix
    Dorothea Dix begins her reform movement for treating the poor mentally insane, and improve jail conditions for the mentally unstable. She also helped develop mental asylums.
  • Oneida

    Oneida
    The founding of the most well-sustained Utopian community focused on the lack of child-bearing. Its economy was supported by metal production.
  • First Illegal Death Penalty

    First Illegal Death Penalty
    Michigan becomes the first state to dismiss the death penalty for all crimes, except treason.
  • Declaration of Sentiments

    Declaration of Sentiments
    The first large women's rights convention in Seneca Falls. The Declaration of Sentiments gave a list of tasks that outlined the future of women's rights.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation

    The Emancipation Proclamation
    The proclamation announced by President Lincoln that freed slaves in the United States. However, it only freed the areas that were not in rebellion against the union at that time.
  • Thomas Nast

    Thomas Nast
    A very popular, but controversial, political cartoonist that focused on exposing New York City's political machine.
  • National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

    National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
    The merging of the two largest women's rights groups to form the NAWSA. Focused on individual states, rather than the entire country, to help guarantee rights for women.
  • Progressive Era Movement

    Progressive Era Movement
    The general beginning of the Progressive Era, involving a number of social reforms that worked to solve the negatives of American society.
  • NAACP

    NAACP
    The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was formed to promote the education opportunities for African Americans to advance their chances for equal rights.
  • The 19th Amendment

    The 19th Amendment
    The women's suffrage amendment, originally written by Susan B. Anthony, is ratified by congress. It gave women the right to vote.
  • Beginning of Prohibition

    Beginning of Prohibition
    The official start of national Prohibition, resulting in the banning of consumption and production of alcohol. It was, however, later revoked.
  • Native American Citizenship

    Native American Citizenship
    An act of Congress is released which deems Native Americans as citizens of the United States.