During the antebellum years, people were more interested than ever in the idea of utopia. Though the idea of a utopia was not new during this period, the United States during this time proved to be the perfect location for communal experiments. The vast amount of land acquired by the Louisiana Purchase allowed for communities to be established far away from traditional society. While some colonies were founded for religious reasons, others were secular experiments, and the successes of each varied significantly. Here is a brief overview of some more well-known communal experiments:
Shakers
The Shakers was a religious communal movement that had about 6,000 members at its height in 1840. It was one of the earliest movements and forbid marriage or sexual relations. Because of this, the Shakers had to constantly recruit new members to be successful, and died out nearly completely about a century later.
Amana Colonies
The members of Amana Colonies lived much like the Shakers. Established in Iowa, these colonies focused on simple living and Pietism. Their colonies continued to prosper because marriage was allowed, and their communities still prosper today with some modifications.
New Harmony
New Harmony was a secular community in Indiana that was established based on the ideas of reformer Robert Owen. The colony was made in hopes of providing an answer to the class inequity caused by the Industrial Revolution. The experiment eventually failed due to financial problems.
Oneida Community
In 1848, John Humphrey Noyes started a religious community in Oneida, New York, which focused on economic and social equality. People shared property and polygamy was common, which often drew criticism from outsiders. However, the community managed to survive and prosper by selling fine silverware.
Fourier Phalanxes
Fourier Phalanxes were the brainchild of French socialist Charles Fourier in the 1840s. He advocated the sharing of work and housing to right the problems of a competitive society. Unfortunately, people proved to be too individualistic to share property, and ultimately, the community died out.
Brook Farm
Brook Farm is perhaps the most well-known communal experiment of all, based on the transcendentalist ideals of George Ripley. Launched in 1841, Brook Farm was established to find the natural union between manual and intellectual work. The colony drew great minds, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The Scarlet Letter. Ultimately, Brook Farm had to close due to debt and a bad fire, but still today, it is remembered as a place of creativity, innovation, and intellectualism.
Newman, John J., and John M. Schmalbach. United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination. Amsco School Publications, 2016.
Super informative! This reminded me of one more Utopian community: the Mormons. Founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, who claimed God led him to a new set of scriptures, the Mormons lived under the strict rule of Smith. The Mormons were persecuted for their strange beliefs, namely polygamy, and so were forced west. Joseph Smith himself was shot by an angry mob, so Brigham Young led them west to Utah, where they prospered.
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This was a really interesting post and I gained deeper insight in regards to the various Utopian communities in American history. It's fascinating how many there were and what they represented. Many of the first utopian communities were founded to achieve religious purity. However, this motive changed as more and more communities were created. For example, the mentioned New Harmony community was founded to achieve social perfectibility rather than for religious reasons. No matter what the motive, these utopian communities are an important part of American history and go to show how the nation truly is a place for everyone to express themselves.
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