In Search of the Perfect Society: Three Utopian Communities in Nineteenth-Century Amererica
Graduation Date
Spring 2004
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program Name
Humanities
First Reader
Martin Anderson, JD, PhD
Second Reader
James Boitano, PhD
Abstract
The nineteenth century was an era marked by rapid change in American society. This thesis examines the rise in utopian communities during this era and the specific societal conditions that led to their development. Three utopian communities are analyzed in detail: Brook Farm (1841-1847) founded by George Ripley in Massachusetts; Oneida (1848-1881) founded by John Humphrey Noyes in New York; and Fountaingrove (1876- 1900) founded by Thomas Lake Harris in California. These communities are discussed as examples of the confluence of religious changes wrought by the Second Great Awakening, the impact of industrialization including the Panic of 1837, and the growth of the women’s rights movement in nineteenth-century America.