Learning Goal 3.) Distinguish how the Englightenment and the Great Awakening are different, but how they each influenced the colonists.

The Enlightenment and The Great Awakening Transforming Colonial Society The Enlightenment and The Great Awakening

The Enlightenment An intellectual movement which began in England in the 17th century. It promoted scientific thought and skepticism. It opposed superstition and intolerance, with the Catholic church a favorite target.

The Enlightenment – A Time of Reason and Science The Enlightenment was a time when thinkers applied natural laws to the sciences and to societies. Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and government influenced leaders in Europe and the colonies

Enlightenment Movement beginning in Europe Knowledge, reason, & science could improve society Schools of higher learning open across America Best known American scientist

People of the Enlightenment Society John Locke Enlightenment Philosopher Man has inalienable rights that cannot be taken away: LIFE, LIBERTY, and PROPERTY The Social Contract Theory: You and Government have an unwritten contract. You agree to let them rule as long as Government protects your inalienable rights. If they don’t – you have the right to choose a new government.

Locke’s ideas were radical and challenged the centuries-old practice throughout the world of dictatorial rule by kings, emperors, and tribal chieftains.

Thomas Paine English immigrant to America who produced a pamphlet known as Common Sense that challenged the rule of the American colonies by the King of England. Common Sense was read and acclaimed by many American colonists during the mid-1700s and contributed to a growing sentiment for independence from Great Britain.

The Great Awakening also influenced the colonists…

The Great Awakening In the Early 1700s, many colonists lost the religious passion that had driven Pilgrims, Puritans, and others to seek out a new life in America In the 1730s-1740, a religious revival began to sweep through the colonies, led by traveling ministers

Spreading the Great Awakening The Great Awakening began in the New England Colonies and spread through the rest of Colonial America. This movement was lead by traveling ministers Sermons appealed to the heart and drew large crowds

Tent Revival Video

What was the Great Awakening’s Message? 1.) Salvation by faith and prayer, not rituals or good works. 2.) The individual, not any religious authority, judged his or her own behavior based on one's understanding of God. No priest, pastor, pope, or king! 3.) Because the individual was in control of their salvation, individual experiences with God were important and often shared at services. 4.) Revivals (crowds of 1000’s, weeping, wailing) 5.) Accepting: unlike Puritans who banished all who weren’t Puritan, the movement taught acceptance. *

Impacts of the Awakening Because of the accepting nature of the movement, people felt free to choose their own religious affiliation. Decline of “Old Light” groups such as the Puritans, Quakers, and Anglicans. Rise of “New Light” of Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists, all revival groups of the period. (American Protestantism)

Religious diversity by 1775 The emphasis on individual experiences weakend the role of Puritan ministers in the Northeast, which also led to more reilgious diversity.

Impact of the Great Awakening New colleges were founded to educate their preachers and their followers. These include Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, and Columbia Universities.

New colleges founded after the Great Awakening

Impacts of the Great Awakening Religious toleration - the new protestant movements were very willing to work together. Acceptance: People became more tolerant, not seeing each other as members of a particular religious group, but as Americans. The 13 colonies were much more united now than they had ever before…

Impacts of the Great Awakening Through the Awakening, the Colonists realized that religious power resided in their own hands, rather than in the hands of the Church of England, or any other religious authority.  After a generation or two passed with this kind of mindset, the Colonists came to realize that political power resided in their own hands as well, not in the hands of a monarch.

The Englightenment The Great Awakening Similarities and differences between the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening The Englightenment The Great Awakening Political / scientific movement Religious movement Sought to use scientific methods to explain natural world as something beyond an act of “God.” Saw Puritan way of life in decay and sought to return people to religious life. Supported Emotionalism and Religious Faith Supported Reason Both caused people to question traditional authority and practice Both highlighted importance of individual over higher authority (king or church) *

The King So…how do these influence the colonists? The Enlightenment (Head of Gov’t) (Head of Church) The Enlightenment The Great Awakening