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11 Cards in this Set
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1720s |
America thought to have lost its religion Religious homogeneity faded People moved farther into frontier regions Greater material comfort, less death and worry
General perception Americans not as religious as grandparents had been, less religious focus than previous generations |
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Reasons America perceived less religious |
1. By 1720s, English America much more diverse place. Originally when people came in large numbers, majority were English Protestant. By now, more Jews, Catholics, people of diff Christian religions. Less consistency. This caused earlier laws only letting church members vote to be repealed and no longer enforced. Religion doesn't seem as important b/c not everyone is same religion. 2. People expanding and moving. Population growing really fast, so America really growing. More people coming, having kids, living longer, pop. is expanding. As it expands, people leaving original settlements like Plymouth and going to frontier. Further into frontier, farther from church--membership and attendance harder. As people move farther out, religion not as big a deal as in original cities. 3. By 1720s and 30s, life a lot easier. People weren't dying as young. Don't have to worry about Indian attacks or starvation. Since people more comfortable, and death and destruction not part of daily lives, lost some of their religious focus. |
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Why Great Awakening started? |
English clergymen coming thinking that people in America need some religion First go to middle colonies, then eventually spread throughout all of America |
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Great Awakening |
1734 *Key event to understand colonial society Starts in middle colonies New type of religion Don't say predestination is wrong--too radical, but focus on idea of individual and how to keep from going to hell-->REPENT, change ways, try to be a better person, and maybe you can be saved Religious spectacle--Puritan services had little participation or interaction Puritan worship-->controlled, intellectual, sedate and calm. Whole basis of life was predestination, not much you can do as an individual b/c either good or bad Awakening-->theatrical and emotional, hyperactive religious figures traveled across America holding big religious services Sweeps across country and affects a lot of people
*MAIN POINT: individual salvation
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Importance of Great Awakening |
Key event for understanding colonial society Religious, but also about more than religion |
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Jonathan Edwards |
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Sermon he gave over and over, first in CT, then throughout colonial America So good at what he did, drove someone to kill themselves after hearing disturbing speech about damnation and suffering Suicide very rare, so speeches fizzled out |
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George Whitefield |
Eloquent Great Awakening preacher who spoke about human helplessness and god's unlimited power After listening to him, Ben Franklin donated all his money Emotionalism and theatrics |
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Critics of Great Awakening |
Too simple and too much drama "Old lights" |
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Old lights vs new lights |
Old lights--anti-Great Awakening; more educated and in higher up economic positions. Thought people like Edwards cheapening religion--turning it into a show and taking out the real thinking in it. New lights--pro Great Awakening; younger people, more open minded w/o as much education
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Great Awakening and colonial unity |
Preachers traveling around giving sermons created big mass spectacles that hadn't happened in America before this People went b/c it was something to do, no deep interest in religion but it was entertainment People not part of Christianity seeing huge rallies of Christians coming together encouraged them to strengthen own religious community First time something happening in all 13 colonies at the same time Nothing like it ever happened before People see it, know it's happening, react to it even if they don't believe in it
Seen as a stepping stone for unity First time people start using the word AMERICAN (1750s) |
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Great Awakening and education |
Influences higher education in America Yale College--Old lights, came from Puritan establishment, head of college thought everyone was old light as well so made speech that showed there were some new lights, insulted them and they left College of New Jersey (Princeton) created by those new lights. Came directly from Great Awakening. Many northern schools today came from split b/w old and new lights. More than just a religious movement, changes America |
