It is a fundamental rule of human nature that Homo Sapien needs permanence. In times of great social upheaval, people often turn to the familiar weapons of religion in search of that stability. The years 1830 to 1850 were no exception to the rule. The nation was hit by waves of moral reform movements as people turned to organized religion for stability in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. But why did these moral reform movements arise, why were they so concentrated in that era, and what gave them strength? The Industrial Revolution caused massive social upheaval as commercial markets expanded and interpersonal relationships became more numerous. In the midst of all this change, people sought stability in religion, and moral reform movements arose directly from those religious beliefs. The first half of the nineteenth century was marked by great economic, and therefore social, upheavals. After America won the War of 1812, it turned to internal improvements. The previously local economic market was greatly expanded through the construction of thousands of kilometers of new roads and canals. Before new methods of transportation opened up, most people limited their business transactions to their immediate neighbors, but some saw the potential for more profitable business in other places. “…increasing numbers of people were producing for the “market,” rather than for personal consumption, and making decisions about what to produce, what to charge, and where to sell based on the “market” (Shmoop editorial team). With this growing economic change came new social tensions. Farmers expanded their previously local operations and became businessmen. They had more employees and, therefore, more interpersonal relationships. The role of the bu......center of the card......social awareness. Driven by this desire for perfection on earth and concern for the preservation of traditional values, Christians initiated social reform movements in hopes of turning their dreams into reality. Works Cited Clark, Jr., Clifford E. “The Changing Nature of Protestantism in Mid-Nineteenth-Century America: Henry Ward Beecher's Seven Lessons to the Young. The Journal of American History March 1971: 832-46. Organization of American Historians. Network. November 4, 2011. Shmoop Editorial Team. “Recap and Analysis of the Market Revolution.” Shmoop.com, November 11, 2011. Web. A Patriot's Story of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror. New York, NY: Sentinel, 2007. Print.