Public Life

The Reform Crescent:

This is the area in North East America where the reform community was located. New York, Massachusetts, New England, and Ohio were some places that were located in the Reform Crescent. All speeches about the reform, including abolitionists’ views on radical, political, and evangelical opinions, took place in the Reform Crescent.

The Reform Circuit:

This was not so much an actual place, but a group of people that traveled around the Reform Crescent giving speeches about an important issue of the day. Abolitionists’ would travel and talk about their views about the reform. Some rhetoric would include slave rights, women’s right, children’s rights, and the prohibition- of alcohol. This was one way reform spread over the Reform Crescent. Those against abolition would state their views about how the current reform system is working and stop those abolitionists that are attempting to change the system. They would either speak outside or in the Lecture Hall.

The Parlor:

This was located in a room of a person’s home of the reform community. Conversations that occurred here were less formal than those from the Reform Circuit. Topics of family life were more talked about then those about the reform. Women and those not involved in abolition were most likely seen in the parlor.

The Lecture Hall:

This is a place where people would go and give speeches about formal and important issues such as the reform. Speeches and debates occurred here. Abolitionists were commonly seen in the lecture halls preaching about their views and opinions. Audience’s tended to be big at times, filling the entire lecture hall. Wendell Phillips, an abolitionist on slavery, spoke in lecture halls. He usually had a full house due to his uplifting and inspirational rhetoric. Anti-abolitionists also spoke here and discussed topics from retaining slavery to opposition of women’s rights. Those who traveled in the Reform Circuit were more or less likely to be seen speaking in the Lecture Hall.