What common characteristics did reform movements of the Antebellum era share?

These days radical and reform movements use social media.

I think the used different kinds of media to express their radical and reforms movement. In recent time, we are often using social media in order to express our distaste on certain events and laws. While in the Antebellum era, they are using newspaper and literary pieces to express their opinions on the current situation between the North and South factions.