What force or ideas motivate and inspire the effort to remake and reform American society during the anti-bellum years?
Maybe some help here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antebellum
To understand the forces and ideas that motivated the effort to remake and reform American society during the antebellum years, you can start by researching the various social, political, and economic factors that were at play during that time period in the United States.
Here are some steps you can take to get a better understanding of the topic:
1. Start with a general overview: The Wikipedia page you mentioned, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antebellum, is a good starting point. It will give you a general understanding of the time period and the key issues and events that shaped it.
2. Dive deeper into specific movements: During the antebellum years, several social and political movements emerged to address various social and economic issues. The most notable of these include the abolitionist movement, the women's rights movement, the temperance movement, and the utopian movement. You can search for specific articles or books on these movements to understand the motivations and ideas behind them.
3. Study key historical figures: Many prominent figures emerged during the antebellum years who played a significant role in shaping American society. For example, figures like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth were influential voices for abolition, women's rights, and social justice. Reading about their lives and works can provide insight into the motivations and inspirations behind their reform efforts.
4. Analyze primary sources: Reading original documents from the time period, such as speeches, letters, and newspaper articles, can provide firsthand accounts of the motivations and ideologies that fueled the drive for social reform. The Library of Congress and other online archives have many resources available for this purpose.
Remember, understanding history is a complex task that involves gathering information from multiple sources and critically analyzing them. By following these steps, you will be able to develop a comprehensive understanding of the motivations and ideas that inspired the effort to remake and reform American society during the antebellum years.