Elaborate on the Great Awakening. How did the movement impact the ideological development of the colonies? The colonies were founded in the spirit of a relatively rigid conception of divine election. According to the Calvinist notion which dominated at the time, God had already chosen whom he would save and it was incumbent upon the elect to demonstrate their fitness for heaven upon earth. Gradually, over the course of the 18th century, the rationalist ideas of the Enlightenment that had become common currency in Europe began to permeate America. Religious zeal began to wane, and a more secular approach to life and education was adopted in urban locations and at elite institutions like Harvard and Yale. However, in rural areas of America there was profound resistance to this notion, and the Great Awakening was a response to the perceived negative influence of this secularization (Faragher et al 2009: 120). Preachers like Jonathan Edwards used fire metaphors to counterbalance what many felt was the new spiritual "coldness" of the rationalist era (Faragher et al 2009: 120). George Whitefield was one of the most influential speakers of the era, and promised an egalitarian salvation for all, regardless of denomination, so long as there was an acceptance of the divine in the listener's heart. This spilt between the secular and the urban and the rural and the religious parallels many of the current 'red' and 'blue' divisions of our own era, in which the social worldview of
The Great Awakening also influenced the traditional church by sparking people's interest to revolt and this revolt encouraged the American Revolution, which would gain independence for the colonies from England.
The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment were two historical events that shaped the thoughts of people and religion in America. The most important factor in both of these events is the common theme of reason behind the movements. The Great Awakening began about the 1930's and reached its climax ten years later in 1740. What exactly was the Great Awakening? It was a wave of religion revivals sweeping through New England that increased conversions and church membership. The beginnings of the Great Awakening were in Pennsylvania and New Jersey among Presbyterians and then spread to the Puritans and Baptists of New England. They were encouraged to confess sins done freely to the church in order to receive forgiveness. This whole movement was
‘Reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals. Assess the validity of this statement with specific reference to the years 1825-1850.’
The Great Awakening brought together provinces, and furthermore acknowledgment of religious resilience. These two periods of the eighteenth century greatly affected American culture and how individuals think previously, then after these movemments. The Enlightenment changed individuals' view on legislative issues, religion, and human instinct, and The Great Awakening acknowledged religious resilience. Enlightenment for the most part affected instructed individuals in the American states. Even though the Enlightenment initially started in Europe, it spread to America. The Great Awakening brought assorted variety; it was caused by reestablishment of religion after many individuals in the provinces moved in the opposite direction of religion. The Great Awakening conveyed Christianity to individuals who strayed away from
The Great Awakening also played a role in government and society. The Great Awakening was based on a wave of rivals that were an attempt to keep churches and religion from dying in an era that believed that nature held more answers that the Bible. The Great Awakening allowed for ministers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards to share their ideas about God’s vengeful supremacy and for the first time sermons were being aimed at colonist’s hearts, instead of their heads. These revivals awakened and refreshed the colonists, allowing them to forget the anxiety and uncertainty that they had about America at the time, as well as Great Britain affect on their new home. The sermons communicated the message that every soul in fact was important to God, as well as that both men and women had to choose to be saved, making religion a very personal experience that once was very generalized.
To begin, the Great Awakening took place during the early 1730’s. It was a period where religious revivals were spreading along the Atlantic coast. Preachers such as Jonathan Edwards would go around and try to get people back into Christianity. One reason why colonist turned away from Christianity was because of the Enlightenment. He would describe hell and heaven trying to convince colonist to rejoin christianity.
In the 1830's, 1840's, and beyond, There is a Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening had a decided impact on American society. In the following I will describe what the Great Awakening was and how it changed life in America.
A product of the religious revival in Western Europe from late 17th century to early 18th century, the First Great Awakening was a period of religious growth throughout the British American colonies from approximately 1720 to the 1740s. This awakening was led by many religious figures such as John Wesley - a founder of Methodism in the Church of England, George Whitefield - an Anglican who preached throughout the colonies from 1739 to 1740, and Jonathan Edwards - an Apologist of the Great Awakening who led the revival in Northampton, Massachusetts. Although this period of religious high is referred to as “The First Great Awakening,” historians still debate whether or not this grandiose title is deserved.
The First Awakening began in New England where John Edwards was a new light minister known for Sinners in the “Hand of an Angry God.” Many new light ministers saw state supported churches as obstacles to expressing faith. It is said that the First Awakening spurred the American Revolution. Edward’s emotional sermon caused people to leave state churches in large quantities. As the number of church memberships dwindled, people began to question aspects of their daily lives such as religion and the government.
The First Great Awakening was a religious movement that took place between 1720 and 1750, affecting every colony and greatly affecting history (Garrigus). People started feeling that religion was dull and not as significant as it once was seen (Ppt). Preachers began to feel like people were not putting their emotions on their faith. They wanted people to be physically and emotionally involved (Garrigus). This is where Christians began to turn away from the standard approach of worship. The Great Awakening created a substantial change on how early American’s viewed worship, social standards, political standards, economical standards, and Christianity.
As the Age of Enlightenment gradually came to an end, the British American colonists were ready to progress beyond the ideology of human reason and depend solely on biblical revelation. During the eighteenth century, a great movement known as the First Great Awakening swept through Protestant Europe and America, leaving a permanent impact on
1. What was the impact of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment on the intellectual and spiritual life of the colonies?
The First Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept across Colonial America in the 18th century. The First Great Awakening changed the colonists attitudes toward religion and helped pave the way for the American Revolution. It impacted the way colonists worshipped and gave them a sense of independence. This paper will look at the cause and effect of the First Great Awakening.
The Great Awakenings were periods of religious revival, increasing religious enthusiasm during the early 18th century and the late 20th century. Some may say that the Great Awakenings also caused enlightenment. However, there was a tremendous increase in religious participation, and influence in other reforms as well. Therefore, the Great Awakenings tremendously influenced the development of american society prior to the American Civil War.
The First Great Awakening, was a religious revitalization movement that came through the Atlantic region, and even more so in the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, forever impacting American religion & is widely known as the most important event for American religion during the eighteenth century. The First Great Awakening was inspired by an English Methodist known as George Whitefield along with other ministers, when many people in the rural areas rejected the Enlighted and rational religion that came from the Cosmopolitan pulpits and port cities. George Whitefield began this movement with speaking tours through the colonies (“The Great Awakening”).