Changes

==Early career==

==Early career==

Addams was born in the village of Cedarville, in northern Illinois, on Sept. 6, 1860. Her father, a Yankee, was a prominent Republican politician and supporter of [[Abraham Lincoln]]. She early on displayed ambition, a charismatic personality, and a strong sense of moral duty. At nearby Rockford Seminary, which she attended from 1877 to 1881, the conscientiousness tinged with rebellion that characterized her career began to emerge. [[Valedictorian]] and president of her class, she helped transform the small Congregational finishing school for women into a degree-conferring college. Addams was a voracious reader in history and philosophy, and tried to start an oratory program for the young women, but the men at other colleges would not recognize it.<ref> Knight (1998)</ref> Elshtain (2002) emphasizes her religiosity, showing that Addams was influenced by Bunyan's ''Pilgrim's Progress'' and tried to imitate Christ through a "service ethic".   

Addams was born in the village of Cedarville, in northern Illinois, on Sept. 6, 1860. Her father, a Yankee, was a prominent Republican politician and supporter of [[Abraham Lincoln]]. She early on displayed ambition, a charismatic personality, and a strong sense of moral duty. At nearby Rockford Seminary, which she attended from 1877 to 1881, the conscientiousness tinged with rebellion that characterized her career began to emerge. [[Valedictorian]] and president of her class, she helped transform the small Congregational finishing school for women into a degree-conferring college. Addams was a voracious reader in history and philosophy, and tried to start an oratory program for the young women, but the men at other colleges would not recognize it.<ref> Knight (1998)</ref> Elshtain (2002) emphasizes her religiosity, showing that Addams was influenced by Bunyan's [[Pilgrim's Progress|''Pilgrim's Progress'']] and tried to imitate Christ through a "service ethic".   

In 1881 Addam's father died, and after becoming sick and pain-wracked, she decided to undergo painful operations to correct the spinal curvature she had had since birth. She was strapped into a back harness which gave her no mobility for about a year. On her recovery in 1883 Adams traveled through Europe to find her purpose in life. In 1888, the idea of founding a settlement house for the underprivileged came to her. In England she visited [[Toynbee Hall]], London's famous [[settlement house]] in the slums of the city, and consulted the head resident, Canon Samuel A. Barnett on the matter.

In 1881 Addam's father died, and after becoming sick and pain-wracked, she decided to undergo painful operations to correct the spinal curvature she had had since birth. She was strapped into a back harness which gave her no mobility for about a year. On her recovery in 1883 Adams traveled through Europe to find her purpose in life. In 1888, the idea of founding a settlement house for the underprivileged came to her. In England she visited [[Toynbee Hall]], London's famous [[settlement house]] in the slums of the city, and consulted the head resident, Canon Samuel A. Barnett on the matter.