Example research essay topic: Rights For Women Women And Children - 1,867 words

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Mark Twain was a catalyst for the American education reform movement and the social changes that it brought. By writing in a style that the common man could relate to, he opened a nations eyes to problems, within the nation, that may have gone undetected. Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri, which was two months sooner than expected. At this time Missouri was a slave holding state.

However, Twain's father, a local store owner, was against slavery in all forms and instilled this belief in his son at a young age. Twain 's hometown was small. He describe it as having two main roads only 100 yards long with a population of no more than 50 people. In fact so small that with a good tail wind you could spit from one end to the other (web). As a young boy he dreamed of a life in a better place, filled with adventure. This was the life he led.

He was taught to write as a child by his mother. Finding that he enjoyed it, he decided to make it his career. Twain wrote in a conversational style that made his stories appealing to the common man as well as to educated people. His topics ranged from slavery, to antidotes about his travels. He lived out his dreams of adventure by visiting places like Bermuda, California, and many other exotic locations across the globe.

Although Twain seemed to find fame in almost anything he wrote possibly his most famous and controversial of stories was The Adventures of Huck Finn. This was an anti-slavery novel written during the period of reconstruction in the south when slavery was a very sensitive topic in the United States. Anti-slavery views were not welcomed in the south at this time. The story of Huck Finn takes place in the Deep South, along the banks of the Mississippi River. Huck, a young white boy, befriends a black boy of the same age. Not old enough to understand why Huck's parents disapprove of the relationship, the boys decide to run away to freedom.

The two construct a raft out of wood and sail off to freedom. Along their journey, the boys have many adventures and realize that they are already free, and there is no need to run from home. This story and many others were Twain's way of relating his ideas on slavery to the common man and children. By writing in a conversational style more people could relate to his books thus he would have a better effect on his readers. However, Twain's views on slavery were not well liked by everyone in the south. Many towns banned his books from being sold.

They were deemed a threat to the southern way of life and many were censored without Twain's knowledge. The slaves had ready been freed, however, they were not thought of as equals, both in the south and in the north. Not only did the south ban his book but so did some places in the north. Even in our nation's capitol, only the censored versions of Twain's books were allowed to be sold.

Twain's publisher was forced to censor his stories for sensitive material before they could be put on the shelf. This idea of equality of all races was a new, radical, and dangerous idea. It threatened to further damage the already shaky foundation of the south. Many of our nations leaders did not want people thinking this way. Black and white people living together in harmony was thought to be the downfall of society. Many of our nations leaders thought that the common people would rally around them, in support of the censorship of these books and not support Twain.

This, in fact, was not the case. Censoring these books only sparked people's curiosity to read the real version of the books. Twain gathered a large following of fans who supported his abolitionist views. These people, both black and white wrote letters, and protested in support of Twain's books. Eventually, the uncensored copies of these stories were released to the majority of the population. This brought a major shift in pop-culture.

Now, Black people were being thought of as separate but equal and as oppressed rather than inferior. Not only did Twain write about slavery, but he also wrote about other sensitive topics such as Imperialism. Imperialism was the political view that America was such a superior force that they had the right to become involved in affairs outside of American borders. Twain felt that this was wrong and he spoke openly about his beliefs. He openly criticized the government and the president.

Again, his works were censored and pulled from the shelves of bookstores across the country, and again his legions of fans supported him. Twain's fans, with the support of others, formed anti-imperialism leagues, organizations, and societies. They wrote to the government demanding that his books be sold and that the actions being taken in the Philippines, cease. These groups also demanded improvements to be made within the United States. They wanted more rights for women and children, forums for children's writings, better education standards, public schools, and more access to books. At this time transcendentalism became a popular philosophical belief.

Transcendentalism is the belief in a higher reality found through the pursuit of knowledge. The Greek philosopher Plato first developed this concept, and the date is not known. He preached of a better life available through the knowledge. However the most specific usage of Transcendentalism occurred in the United States in 1836. Many of this nation's greatest minds were involved with this movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson, feminist, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau, and father of Louisa May Alcott, Bronson Alcott. Transcendentalism opposed strict ritualism and established religion.

They were also against slavery and censorship in all forms. They promoted self-examination and equality among all people. They wanted more rights for women and children, as well as blacks. Like the Anti- Imperialists they also wanted public education and forums for children's stories. The pressure that these two groups put on the government forced it to create a public education system for the United States.

At this time America was experiencing major social upheaval. There was a mentality at that time the America should separate itself from all things European and promote the creation of a unique 'American's octet. The mood was intense and emotions ran rampant. People wanted to reform almost every aspect of American culture, children's education, blacks and white relationship, women's rights, better treatment for the insane, the improved prison system, education, government and most other aspects of American life. Education reform became one of the most powerful movements. It would be a catalyst for the others.

This reform would have to begin in the schoolhouse itself. America's first schools were small and crude, most of, which were one room houses built by the local towns folks. They contained long benches at which the students sat, a teacher's desk, an American Flag, and a chalkboard. Only schools in more wealthy neighborhoods had textbooks. Most of the students had previously attended Sunday school, but that was the only other education they had had. Prior to the construction of public schools, children were taught to read by their mothers, with the only teaching aid being the family Bible.

The teachers were not formally educated. They were towns women who volunteered to teach the towns children. When not teaching these women were seamstresses, nurses and homemakers. Schools only taught reading, writing and arithmetic, and once a student had mastered these skills, they graduated. There were no specific grade levels so children of all ages were taught at the same time. Some went on to higher education, such as college, but most returned to work on the farms.

At first, the schools followed no formal schedule. Classes worked around the crop and farm schedule, because to most of the students, school came second. They had to work at the farms first. Public education was poor at best. Many of the farm children only attended school sporadically, and the rich sent their children to private schools. Most of theses schools were run by the Catholic church, however some were private academies for the elite of the our nation.

With the rich children leaving the public schools, they lost money and attention. Most of the farmers were too busy with their farms to worry about the school. Again, came a call from the Transcendentalists for education reform. Bronson Alcott lead these people to rally for a reform of education. He was an educator with unique ideas about how to best educate children. His style of teaching was controversial.

He integrated God and the transcendental views into his lessons. At this time, in the later half 1800 's the first Children's periodicals began to appear. This was a time of prosperity in the US and many people had disposable income to spend on their children and their education. The child mortality rate also decreased at the time due to advances in medical technologies. The first children's Magazine was the Saint Nicholas Magazine, 1873. It contained short stories and antidotes directed at children.

It also contained a forum for children of all ages to submit their writings, artwork, poems, and any other works. The St. Nicholas Magazine, first published Mark Twain's short story, The Prince and the Pauper. The next magazine was The Youths Companion. This was a magazine dedicated specifically to publishing the works of children only. As the education standards increased, so did the literacy rate.

It became common to find both men, women, and children who could read and write. Again, the nation went through great changes. Now, people wanted to pursue other careers, not just to follow in their father's footsteps. Now, women were being accepted as artists, writers and some even held jobs in the local shops in the towns.

Slowly they began to move from the home to the workplace. Now that people of all economic groups were becoming more educated and more importantly literate, society changed. The first great, American, woman authors began to write. Louis May Alcott wrote Little Women. This was a story attempting to give a realistic and sentimental view on life. This story was, like the works of Twain, relating everyday experiences and romanticizing mundane daily life, making her stories popular to the common person and most importantly, the children of the time.

Both of these stories served as mile markers in the history of children's literature, and marked turning points in our Society. For the first time, children were allowed to think freely, and learn. They independently formed their own thoughts on life, God, and many of the other highly regulated aspects of their society. Until this time most of the children were taught to think as their parents or feel the wrath of vengeful and often cruel God. The road to the utopian society that the transcendentalists wished to achieve is a hard one that our nation is still traveling on.

But thanks to their efforts many changes have come along that make this country a great place to live.

Research essay sample on Rights For Women Women And Children