Religion During The Victorian Era

In the 1700s the extent of religion was not very vast and many people were prosecuted for their religious beliefs, however there were colonies that allowed people to have their own beliefs and this helped pave the way for religious freedoms in the colonies.

“They are utterly silent in respect to a law which robs religion of its chief significance, and makes it utterly worthless to a world lying in wickedness.” Was the way people thought about religion in 1800s. Although religion is one of the most common topics it has changed during time but some actions have not.It has been difficult for people to gain respect on their own beliefs. However, not everything today has changed, people are still considering others people's beliefs are lower than theirs. Religion from the present time compared to the 1800s has changed drastically.

“Manifest destiny”, the effects of industrialization, and the addition of millions of immigrants to American ranks mark America as it stood in the 1800’s. The introduction of a plethora of differing cultures and traditions meant that ideas of what it meant to be American were still forming as the country surged into its position as a global powerhouse. The “wild, wild West” had made its appearance as the Homestead Act of 1862 beckoned large numbers of landless citizens seeking to remedy such circumstances (Peopling of the West, 51). At the same time, Victorian standards for dress and poise still permeated the American middle-class. These strange cultural amalgamations of America in the 1800’s proved to be catalysts for the change that the turn of the century brought in – the millions of Americans on whose back the country had flourished sought recompense in the form of leisure to match their work. While the 1800’s had been chock full of Victorian values and industrious yearnings, the 1900’s entered with a demand for less rigorous social expectations. The Victorian values instilled in middle-class Americans were faced with a sudden challenge in the form of amusement parks that offered overburdened workers a respite from their dreary work days. While this new entertainment excluded some races, it allowed more classes and ethnicities to intermingle, enticed women from their traditional roles in the home, and disregarded the standards Victorian values had set for respectable

“These scholars note that Victorians often bowed to conformity, concealing their true natures and tastes and pretending to adhere to social norms. Some Victorians passed themselves off as more pious or moral than they really were. But in reality, pornographic literature and prostitution were common phenomena during the late nineteenth century, showing that some Victorians only pretended to lead chaste lives.”(Joyce Moss)

During the Colonial Period, religion was an extremely important aspect of many people’s lives; it was so central that it drove many to make the voyage to the New World. As shown by John Winthrop’s Reasons for Emigrating to New England in 1631, moving to America “appeares to be a worke of God for the good of his Church.” Once the English colonists reached America, however, they discovered that the conditions were much harsher than they expected. People experienced poverty, disease, and famine like they had never before. Now religion became one of the only things on which the people could rely.

Religion: In The Colonial Era The first chapter examines religion during the early foundation times of the British colonies, which would eventually become The United States of America. It was at this time in history that the New England Puritans and Pilgrims were considered to be the main focus of America’s religious foundations. It is sad and unbelievable that the Puritans and pilgrims were forced to leave their homes in England and mostly Western European countries to obtain the right to practice their religious beliefs freely. In Europe religious freedom was non-existent, you could be jailed or hanged if you did not follow the rules of the British crown.

Religion has influenced an entire range of changes in the elongated history of the world. The alterations that have taken place in the past are clear and concise evidence that the underlying and ultimate influence is religion. Religion has been apart of a plethora number of events in the past because, religion gives humans a clear source of origin of the universe, and carries an everlasting assurance that provides protection and happiness among the permutations in life. Religion also served its purpose in all aspects of life, especially during the events between the 1600’s and 1800’s.

Every culture has its own religion; and people of those cultures take their religion very seriously. Early Americans used their religion to get through some tough times. Each situation showed that as long as they had faith they could make it through any kind of trouble. However, they also misused their religion or took it out of context. Some even changed their perceptive on religion as if they were trying to find themselves. Religion kept them going strong and allowed them to overcome many dangers. Religion has an important role to those who are religious; which is the case for the early American society.

During the 1600s, England’s inhabitants were forced to believe and follow the rules and laws of the official religion of the country. The lack of religious freedom angered many people within England, but news of a new beginning arose and created hope for many. News of new land caused encouragement and left no excuse for anyone to stay and continue to be oppression that was dealt out daily throughout the lives of many in England. In 1620, a group of people called the Pilgrims voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean seeking salvation from the violent grip of England. The Pilgrims, as they are known today, escaped England in search of religious freedom, specifically to be able to freely follow and live in Christianity. It has resulted in America being created on a religious foundation. Yet, this apparent fact was one that ultimately stalled America as a society. Today in the twenty-first century, people have taken religion and the Bible and corrupted it. Large amounts of people have taken the Bible and religion and are using it for their selfish goals of spreading propaganda. Many social issues that are present today, such as the treatment of the LGBT community, abortion, racism, feminism, gender roles, and war, has been created or instigated by people’s misinterpretation of the Bible or ignorance of religion. The ultimate truth is that man and women alike have been dictating the lives of many and one’s view

Religion during the Colonial Period was a new outbreak to many of the people traveling to the United States. Some people were traveling to the United States for a better life and some were traveling in search of fortune. Religion became a pivotal part of the survival of Mary Rowlandson and Cabeza De Vaca. Their religious views helped them in numerous ways, such as, to heal others, to escape from pain, and to survive the tortures they endured. The use of religion between Mary Rowlandson and Cabeza De Vaca was diverse in several ways during the Colonial Period, yet similar in the ways we use it today.

In 1837, the start of the Victorian era, Britain began experiencing massive changes in the culture of the nation and in the industrial sector. Cultural works began to move away from rationalism, and became more romanticized and more influenced by mysticism. Privacy became a hallmark of British life as well; the outer walls of citizens’ homes were transformed into a façade by which innumerable mysteries resided behind. This romanticized idea of mystery that seemed to lurk behind the doors of the common, everyday man became a prevalent theme in the works of many writers and artists throughout the time period. Robert Louis Stevenson uses this theme of not knowing the true nature of an individual, as well as the idea of duality, to develop his theme that an evil side lies within every man and that balancing both sides is vital to preservation of ones sanity.

The religious revivals and reform movements of the early 1800s heightened women's sense of their potential and power. For some, participation in a reform movement was a first, satisfying taste of the world outside the family. Women played a prominent role in nearly every avenue of reform, from temperance to abolition. They marched in parades to support their causes. They participated in economic boycotts. Some even gave lectures at public

Many believe that there were many religions in this era. There were only two major ones.

The Victorian era was one of transition, and it was this transition, the removal of old beliefs, to be replaced in new, that resulted in the lack of something definite to believe in (Houghton 2,14). The Victorians believed they were breaking with the medieval world, yet at the same time they idealized it. In fact there were a few extremists who, according to Matthew Arnold, "hoped 'to retain or restore the whole system of the middle Ages'" (Houghton 2). In an England that was continually pushing forward, expanding its boundaries and dabbling in the science and

The year was 1567 and Queen Elizabeth has ruled over England for eight years. People crowded the narrow, cobbled streets of London. Some navigated cows through masses of people, as horses clomped noisily across the streets. Small cottages made of wood lined the winding streets and alleyways. Fragile bowls of cream meant to appease faeries were laid out on the doorsteps of these homes. Children ran through the crowds of people and came to a halt, screeching in fright, as a black cat rushed past them towards the bowl of cream.. In the distance, screams of terror filled the air. An old woman begged for mercy as commoners and soldiers laughed at her, yelling “Witch, witch, witch!” while leading her to the gallows and Death’s welcoming arms. As shown through this example, the Elizabethan Era was brimming with superstitions, magic, and folklore. After further research, it can be found that these beliefs were influenced by multiple religions, that opinions about sorcery were strongly influenced by Christianity, and that these beliefs continue to influence future generations.