Utopian Communities In The 19th Century

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Utopian communities in the 19th century America were considered by many people as a beginning to a new age in human civilization. Often lead by passionate leaders with high religious or secular moral ideals, these settlements would experiment with different forms of government, marriage, labor, and wealth. By the 1800’s, hundreds of utopian societies were scattered around the United States. However, many of these utopian societies have now disappeared without leaving a trace. Nonetheless, there were still a few utopian communities from long ago which were very well-known and a couple which still exist today. Three of those utopian communities that are well-known and have made a lasting impression in the United States are The Amish, The Shakers, and Fruitlands, which are all different than most societies because of their clothing, customs, practices, and beliefs.
It is evident that the most popular and talked about utopian society is The Amish who are still currently around. Not only
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The Fruitlands was founded in May of 1843. It was established in Harvard Massachusetts by Amos Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane. Research shows that residents of this community were all vegan, drank only water, and bathed in unheated water. (Gordon 1). In addition, no animal labor was used because the people in the community believed animals should be treated with respect. The Fruitlands was dependent on farming mainly because they only ate fruits and vegetables. The people in this community only wore linen clothes and never cotton because cotton represented slavery. This also never wore wool because it came from sheep. Furthermore, this society lasted only seven months because being dependant on only farming became too difficult.(Gordon 6) Even though the Fruitlands didn’t last very long, it was still an important utopian society that existed in the United