2. CH. 11 STUDENT NOTES

3. ANTEBELLUM AMERICA (PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR)
Defined by several factors:
Increased industrialization – market economy
Westward Migration
Remaking American Society- increased democratic spirit
Belief in human perfectibility
Birth and expansion of American culture: art, literature, philosophy

7. FACTORS TOWARD REFORM

8. THE STATE OF RELIGION T. Paine – The Age of Reason (1794-1796)
Christianity “the strangest religion ever set up, “ for “it committed a murder upon Jesus in order to redeem mankind from the sin of eating an apple.”
By 1790s only 10% identified with church – rise of Deism
Spread of rationalism – – evangelism/wave of revivalism on the rise

9. SECOND GREAT AWAKENING
Religious revival increase in religious concern/conversions
Gave rise to power of church
Revivals took form in camp meetings – mainly on frontier and in the south
Camps – lasted several days ~ 25,000 people
Embrace the church – convulsions, fits, rolling in dirt, twitching “holy jerks”
Thousands of people gathering for several days to participate in religious exercise and sermons
Spread rapidly – new style of evangelism
Erosion of old puritan and Calvinist beliefs
MESSAGE – accept God into daily lives reject rationalism
Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterians
Popular mostly in South and West – LARGE conversions among slaves in south
Rational/”freethinkers” shunned by success of evangelism

10. SECOND GREAT AWAKENING
1790s-1840s origins in NE but spread
Democratized American Christianity
Ordinary people encouraged to participate and spread belief in others
Sectionalism
NE – Universalists; Unitarians (new)
South – Methodists; Baptists (old)
****Attracted more women than men = women facilitated reform

11. SECOND GREAT AWAKENING
Methodist most successful
1 million members by 1844
Religion came from the heart not the head
Young men preached across the country
Raise the moral standards of individuals
Unitarians
Critics of revivalists
JC less than fully divine
Wealthy/educated New Englanders
Moral goodness should be gained through character building, not emotional attachment to church

13. “BURNED-OVER” DISTRICT
A region prone to religious awakenings due to rapid change caused by economic transformation, population influx
NY filled with Puritans
Charles G. Finney Presbyterian minister that performed revivals around NY

14. THE MORMONS The most controversial denomination that emerged
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Joseph Smith, 25, NY
Founded golden inscribed with Christian history, translated them, and published as Book of Mormon – all other denominations wrong
Appeal was that it was one truth – spread west
Criticized for beliefs and practices (polygamy) and intense secrecy – in search of a place of acceptance
Illinois, J. Smith arrested for treason
Mob shot and killed him
Brigham Young, and 12,000 followers, settled in UTAH! Great Salt Lake – they still live there!

15. PERFECTION IN COMMUNAL LIVING
Utopian societies – reaction to urban growth and industry; attempt to SEPARATE and PROTECT themselves from chaos and disorder
Improve one’s self
Community and withdrawal

16. Utopian Communities

17. UTOPIAN ASPIRATIONS
The Shakers – founded by “Mother” Ann Lee 1780s – named after ritual where they, you guessed it, shake
Goal – become self-sufficient
Commitment to celibacy
Attracted more women than men (obviously, did you read the above commitment)
Sexual equality
Women exercised most power
Marriage is a perversion

18. UTOPIAN ASPIRATIONS Oneida Community – 1848 NY by John Humphrey Noyes
Oneida “Perfectionists”
“married” to all in community
Monitored sexual behavior
Advocated protection of women from unwanted pregnancy
Children raised communally

19. Oneida John Humphrey Noyes “Complex marriage” & “free love” Artisans
Oneida Company