Dorothea DixDorothea Dix

Jason Beneducci, Kiwi Buckler, Jack Sudnikovich

BiographyBiographyBorn in Hampden, Maine, Born in Hampden, Maine, in 1802.in 1802.

Troubled ChildhoodTroubled Childhood

Began to establish schools Began to establish schools throughout Massachusetts.throughout Massachusetts.

Found a new interest in Found a new interest in better treatment of the better treatment of the mentally ill.mentally ill.

““A Memorial”A Memorial”After returning to America, After returning to America, conducted a statewide survey in conducted a statewide survey in Massachusetts to see how the poor Massachusetts to see how the poor and mentally ill and were being and mentally ill and were being treatedtreated

After terrible results came back, After terrible results came back, Dix published “A Memorial”Dix published “A Memorial” Bill to expand the state’s mental Bill to expand the state’s mental hospital in Worcesterhospital in Worcester

“ “ I proceed. Gentlemen briefly, to I proceed. Gentlemen briefly, to call your attention to the present call your attention to the present state of insane persons confined state of insane persons confined within this commonwealth, in cages, within this commonwealth, in cages, in stalls, pens! Chained, naked, in stalls, pens! Chained, naked, beaten with rods and lashed into beaten with rods and lashed into obedienceobedience

““The Bill for the Benefit of The Bill for the Benefit of the Indigent Insane”the Indigent Insane”

Dix began to travel all Dix began to travel all around, observing the poor around, observing the poor treatment of the mentally ill treatment of the mentally ill and putting in massive effort and putting in massive effort to get bills passed to create to get bills passed to create asylums asylums

Her work amounted to “The Her work amounted to “The Bill for the Benefit of the Bill for the Benefit of the Indigent Insane”Indigent Insane”• Lobbied for 12,225,000 Lobbied for 12,225,000

acres for insane peopleacres for insane people

Civil War and Death Civil War and Death

Superintendent of Superintendent of Army Nurses by the Army Nurses by the Union Army in the Union Army in the Civil WarCivil War

Died on July 17, 1887 Died on July 17, 1887 in Trenton NJin Trenton NJ

Transcendentalism/ Social ReformTranscendentalism/ Social ReformPhilosophical movement that developed Philosophical movement that developed in the 1830’s – 1840’s thatin the 1830’s – 1840’s that stressed the stressed the need for individual independenceneed for individual independence

Transcendentalists blame society and its Transcendentalists blame society and its organized institutions for the destruction organized institutions for the destruction of human “purity”of human “purity”

People are truly their best when they are People are truly their best when they are completely “self- reliant” completely “self- reliant”

One of the central beliefs of these people One of the central beliefs of these people was that people and nature are inherently was that people and nature are inherently goodgood

Stressed the necessity of social Stressed the necessity of social reforms/improvements and the need to be reforms/improvements and the need to be optimisticoptimistic

Dix sought to better the Dix sought to better the overall living conditions overall living conditions of the insaneof the insane

They were considered They were considered people to, therefore people to, therefore they were deserving of they were deserving of the right to the right to independenceindependence

Dix promoted the idea Dix promoted the idea of optimism by of optimism by attempting to better the attempting to better the conditions of the insaneconditions of the insane

Transcendentalism/ Social Reform

Contributions and Effect Contributions and Effect Throughout her lifetime, Dix worked to Throughout her lifetime, Dix worked to improve conditions of mental hospitals improve conditions of mental hospitals in Worcester, Rhode Island, and New in Worcester, Rhode Island, and New York.York.

Presented her findings to the Presented her findings to the Massachusetts government, pushing for Massachusetts government, pushing for legislature to be passed to improve legislature to be passed to improve treatment of the mentally ill.treatment of the mentally ill.

Sparked nationwide empathy for those Sparked nationwide empathy for those with mental illness and she is credited with mental illness and she is credited as the leader of a movement to reform as the leader of a movement to reform mental hospitals in America.mental hospitals in America.