Great Awakening

Definition

The Great Awakening was a series of religious revivals that swept through the American colonies in the 18th century, emphasizing personal faith and emotional connection to religion over traditional church authority. This movement fostered a spirit of questioning established institutions, which laid the groundwork for democratic ideas and encouraged individual rights, influencing both spiritual and societal transformations leading up to significant historical events.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The First Great Awakening occurred in the 1730s and 1740s, while the Second Great Awakening spanned from the late 18th century into the early 19th century.
2. The movement resulted in the establishment of new denominations and encouraged religious pluralism across the colonies.
3. It emphasized individual piety and direct experience of God, rather than reliance on traditional clergy or formal rituals.
4. The Great Awakening played a crucial role in fostering a sense of shared identity among colonists, which contributed to unity during the American Revolution.
5. It also prompted social reforms, including movements against slavery and for women's rights, reflecting its broader impact on American society.

Review Questions

• How did the Great Awakening encourage colonists to question traditional authority?
  • The Great Awakening encouraged colonists to prioritize personal faith over established church doctrines, leading individuals to challenge traditional religious authorities. Preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield emphasized emotional connections to God, promoting an environment where people felt empowered to interpret faith on their own terms. This questioning attitude not only transformed religious practices but also sparked a broader skepticism towards political and social hierarchies in colonial America.
• In what ways did the Great Awakening influence the development of democratic ideals in colonial America?
  • The Great Awakening fostered an atmosphere of questioning authority and emphasized individual rights and personal agency. As people engaged directly with their faith, they began to apply similar ideas to governance, leading to increased calls for representation and rights among colonists. The revivalist movement created a shared sense of identity among diverse groups, which eventually contributed to a collective push for independence from British rule as democratic principles took root in American society.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the Great Awakening on American society and its impact on social reform movements.
  • The long-term effects of the Great Awakening on American society included a profound transformation in religious practices, as well as significant social reforms. Its emphasis on individual faith led to increased participation in various denominations, promoting pluralism and tolerance. Additionally, many leaders inspired by the movement championed social reform causes such as abolitionism and women's rights. This connection between personal belief and social action highlighted how religious revivals not only shaped spiritual lives but also influenced broader societal changes in America, paving the way for movements that challenged injustices.

Related terms

Jonathan Edwards:

A prominent preacher during the First Great Awakening known for his fire-and-brimstone sermons, particularly 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,' which emphasized personal salvation and the need for a deep emotional connection to faith.

George Whitefield:

An influential itinerant preacher who played a key role in the Great Awakening, known for his charismatic sermons that attracted large crowds and promoted the idea of spiritual rebirth.

Deism: A philosophical belief system that emerged during the Enlightenment, which posited that reason and observation of the natural world were sufficient to determine the existence of a creator, impacting religious thought during and after the Great Awakening.