5.1 Historical Context of the Great Awakening

The Great Awakening swept through colonial America, igniting religious fervor and challenging established norms. This spiritual revival arose from declining church membership, rigid Puritan orthodoxy, and new religious ideas from Europe. It addressed the need for spiritual guidance in growing settlements lacking religious institutions.

Key figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield led the movement, emphasizing personal religious experiences and emotional preaching. The Great Awakening's impact was far-reaching, increasing religious participation, challenging authorities, and fostering new denominations. It also laid groundwork for future political cooperation among colonists.

Religious and Social Factors Leading to the Great Awakening

Causes of the Great Awakening

Top images from around the web for Causes of the Great Awakening

• 

  Pursuing Political, Religious, and Individual Freedom | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment – U.S. History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Pursuing Political, Religious, and Individual Freedom | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Causes of the Great Awakening

• 

  Pursuing Political, Religious, and Individual Freedom | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment – U.S. History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Pursuing Political, Religious, and Individual Freedom | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Great Awakening and Enlightenment | US History I (OS Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Decline in religious fervor and church membership occurred as people became more focused on worldly pursuits and material gains
  • Halfway Covenant allowed individuals to obtain partial church membership without undergoing a conversion experience, leading to a dilution of religious commitment
  • Increase in secular pursuits and materialism diverted attention away from spiritual matters and weakened the influence of the church
• Rigid Puritan orthodoxy and emphasis on predestination left many congregants feeling disconnected from their religious experience and unable to achieve salvation through their own actions
  • Congregants felt disconnected from religious experience due to the strict and often impersonal nature of Puritan doctrine
• Influx of new religious ideas from Europe, such as Pietism and Arminianism, challenged traditional Puritan beliefs and offered alternative approaches to faith
  • Pietism emphasized the importance of personal religious experience and emotion in one's spiritual life
  • Arminianism challenged the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, suggesting that individuals have free will and can actively participate in their own salvation
• Population growth and dispersal led to the establishment of new settlements that lacked established religious institutions and required spiritual guidance and community
  • New settlements lacked established religious institutions, leaving residents without a strong spiritual support system
  • Need for spiritual guidance and community arose as people sought to maintain their faith in unfamiliar and often challenging circumstances

Key Figures and Impact of the Great Awakening

Key figures in religious revival

• Jonathan Edwards, a Congregationalist minister in Massachusetts, played a significant role in the Great Awakening by emphasizing the importance of personal religious experience
  • Emphasized the importance of personal religious experience in one's spiritual journey
  • Famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" used vivid imagery and emotional appeals to convey the urgency of seeking salvation
• George Whitefield, an English Anglican minister and itinerant preacher, traveled throughout the colonies, attracting large crowds and encouraging emotional, enthusiastic religious expression
  • Traveled throughout the colonies (Thirteen Colonies), reaching a wide audience and sparking religious fervor
  • Encouraged emotional, enthusiastic religious expression, which contrasted with the more reserved style of traditional Puritan worship
• Gilbert Tennent, a Presbyterian minister in New Jersey, criticized the established clergy for their lack of piety and promoted the "New Light" theology, which emphasized personal conversion
  • Criticized the established clergy for lack of piety, arguing that many were not truly committed to their faith
  • Promoted the "New Light" theology emphasizing personal conversion as the key to salvation, rather than mere church membership or adherence to doctrine

Impact on colonial society

• Increased religious enthusiasm and participation as revivals and emotional preaching attracted large crowds and renewed emphasis on personal conversion and spiritual experience
  • Revivals and emotional preaching attracted large crowds (thousands), demonstrating the widespread appeal of the Great Awakening
  • Renewed emphasis on personal conversion and spiritual experience led to a deepening of religious commitment among many colonists
• Challenges to established religious authorities arose as New Light preachers criticized the established clergy and caused splits within Congregational and Presbyterian churches
  • New Light preachers criticized the established clergy for their perceived lack of genuine faith and commitment
  • Splits within Congregational and Presbyterian churches occurred as some members embraced the New Light theology while others remained loyal to traditional doctrines
• Rise of new religious denominations, such as Baptists and Methodists, which gained popularity due to their emphasis on individual faith and religious liberty
  • Baptists and Methodists gained popularity as they offered a more personal and emotionally engaging approach to religion
  • Emphasis on individual faith and religious liberty appealed to colonists who sought greater spiritual autonomy and freedom of expression
• Democratization of religion occurred as the influence of educated clergy was reduced and laypeople were empowered to interpret scripture and lead religious gatherings
  • Reduced the influence of educated clergy, who were often seen as distant and disconnected from the spiritual needs of the people
  • Empowered laypeople to interpret scripture and lead religious gatherings, fostering a more participatory and egalitarian approach to faith
• Social and political impact of the Great Awakening included encouraging a sense of shared identity among colonists and laying the groundwork for future political cooperation
  • Encouraged a sense of shared identity among colonists as they participated in a common religious experience that transcended regional and denominational differences
  • Laid the groundwork for future political cooperation by fostering a spirit of unity and shared purpose among the colonists

The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment

Great Awakening vs Enlightenment

• Both movements emphasized individual experience and reason, albeit in different ways
  • Great Awakening emphasized the importance of personal religious experience in one's spiritual journey
  • Enlightenment focused on rational inquiry and empirical observation as the means to understanding the world
• Shared critique of traditional authority as the Great Awakening challenged established religious authorities and the Enlightenment questioned traditional political and social structures
  • Great Awakening challenged established religious authorities, such as the educated clergy, and sought to democratize faith
  • Enlightenment questioned traditional political and social structures, promoting ideas of individual liberty and self-governance
• Divergent views on the role of emotion distinguished the two movements
  • Great Awakening embraced emotional religious expression as a genuine manifestation of faith and spiritual conviction
  • Enlightenment valued a rational, scientific approach to understanding the world and viewed excessive emotion as a hindrance to clear thinking
• Impact on education and intellectual life as the Great Awakening led to the founding of new colleges and the Enlightenment promoted scientific inquiry and secular learning
  • Great Awakening led to the founding of new colleges (Princeton), which aimed to train ministers and promote religious education
  • Enlightenment promoted scientific inquiry and secular learning, encouraging the pursuit of knowledge in fields such as mathematics, natural sciences, and philosophy
• Influence on political thought as both movements contributed to the development of democratic ideals and emphasized individual liberty and freedom of conscience
  • Both movements contributed to the development of democratic ideals by promoting the notion of individual rights and challenging traditional hierarchies
  • Emphasis on individual liberty and freedom of conscience laid the foundation for the American Revolution and the formation of a new nation based on principles of self-governance and religious tolerance