Notes for 11-10-08

Differences Between The Whigs And The Democrats

Whigs

• Thought the government could be used to boost moral and discipline
• Focused on government fixing temperance, public education, and prostitution
• Favored state level government within schools
• Believed in having deviance in prisons and liked rehabilitation
• Favored government participation in all actions

Democrats

• Favored local government control within schools
• Thought rehabilitation was extra money and believed in a simple imprisonment
• Didn't support government participation in all actions
• Didn't want the government to step in on the issue of temperance, but instead naturally cut back themselves

In 1825, the state governments build schools, also known as "common" schools. Both parties believed in the establishment of these schools. In 1840, Catholic Irish immigrants traveled to the U.S. and views within the political parties changed. The immigrants found Protestant prayers a harassy and complained. Nativism is a term that refers to an anti-immigrant attitude or politics of that manner.

The Temperance Crusade happened when Northern Evangelicals founded the north Temperance Society. Limon Beacher lead the crusade that gained strength. The annual consumption went down in the 1830s by about 50%. In the mid-1830s, the Whigs took temperance as a political and government issue. Massachusetts went with the Whigs and passed the 15 Gallon Law in 1838. The law passed, but Democratic voters resent the law in 1839. They didn't believe temperance should be a government issue.