Discuss the social reforms that shaped the nation in the 1800s. what do you think have been the lasting impacts of the reform era? how do these reforms influence society today? what do you think were the most important social reforms and why?

The 1820s and 1830s saw a great rise in popular politics, as free white males achieved universal suffrage. Women, blacks, and Native Americans, however, remained excluded from the political process and were often neglected by politicians. In protest, these marginalized groups and their sympathizers organized reform movements to heighten public awareness and to influence social and political policy. Many reformers believed that they were doing God’s work, and the Second Great Awakening did much to encourage them in their missions.