Religion and Reform1815-1848

Sto Mahoney

Tom Jackoboice

11/11/10

A.P. U.S. History

First Great Awakening Occurred in the 1730’s and 1740’s

Inspired by the affirmation that human ability and reason was beginning to outweigh that of God’s control over man

Church Members felt the need to correct this new sentiment

Fostered deep sense of guilt and redemption

Launched Evangelical Movement Protestants meandered across New England preaching the Gospel

Introspection was encouraged to achieve an elevated connection with God

A series of religious revivals were widespread throughout New England

Headed by prominent figures such as Jonathon Edwards and George Whitehfield

Second Great Awakening

Background:

a) Began in 1790, lasted till about 1840

b) Arose primarily as a backlash to the “age of reason”

c) Renewed interest in religion inspired a wave of social activism

d) Denominations mainly affected: Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Mormons

e) Sparked another intense period of Evangelicalism in the South and West

Burned-Over District

Initiation of the SGA in 1790 and is referred to as the region in Western New York

Named for its overabundance of hellfire-and-damnation preaching a large amount of evangelical fervor had been channeled into this region

Also the epicenter of Revivalism numerous “revivals,” or large gatherings of people were held to listen to preachers

Produced dozens of new denominations, communal societies, and reform movements

At such Religious Revivals, adherents and interested parties would spend several days hearing the word of God from various religious leaders.

Important FiguresCharles Finney:

•Born 1792

•Practiced Law experienced a religious epiphany

•In 1821, Finney started conducting widespread revivals in Western New York

•One of his well-known sermons titled “Sinners Bound to Change Their Own Hearts”

•Sought instantaneous conversions: held protracted meetings that lasted several days, placed people on “anxious bench”, encouraged women to pray publically for souls of male relatives

•Main desire was to direct people away from depravity and preached that people should dedicate their lives to God

Important FiguresLyman Beecher:

•Born 1775

•Presbyterian clergyman, revivalist and social reformer

•Helped promote a series of religious revivals in the Congregational Churches of New England around the time of the War of 1812

•Also believed that people “should accept self-discipline while also engaging in long-term moral self-improvement, sometimes called sanctification” (Howe 188)

•Especially influential in the Temperance Movement

Temperance Movement Definition of Temperance- moderation or abstention in the use of

alcoholic beverages (brands textbook)

Since American Revolution, Whiskey had become the most popular beverage

Temperance reformers viewed indulgence of alcohol as a threat to public morality

Believed drunkenness threatened the family a valued aspect of society at the time

Women played a vital role in the movement as they were seen as the “angels of the house” Cult of Domesticity

Organizations such as the American Temperance Society were created

Popular because middle class was embracing a new ethic of self-control and self-discipline; desired to do so in order to confront a new world of economic growth and social mobility w/o losing culture or moral bearings

The Drunkard’s Progress– Propaganda warned that a drinker who began with “a glass with a friend” would follow a path to poverty, despair and death

Expectations of PeopleEvangelical preachers “urged people to search the

scriptures for themselves and apply the lessons they found there to their own lives” (Howe 188)

Generally speaking “the believer was expected to remake himself or herself into a new person– to be born again” (Howe 188)

A new identity was to be attained: a follower of Christ and a rational, self-ruling individual people expected to find a happy-medium between the two

Role of Women

Shut out from politics and most facets of the new economy, women poured their energy into religion and reform

Many believed they could have a positive impact on society by converting their family, friends, and neighbors

Concept of the Cult of Domesticity developed to define a women’s duties

Four cardinal virtues piety, purity, submission, and domesticity

OverviewSecond Great Awakening was a religious revival

movement everyone and anyone could achieve salvation

Use of frequent “revivals” where people gathered to not only listen to the word of God, but also interact and trade with other people

Intended to refine humanity and make sense of the rapidly changing American social and economic fabric

Religious leaders took the reigns and made it their goal in life to preach the word of God

Overall, people wanted to reestablish an extremely personal connection with God because the notion prior to that time was that religious fervor was fading as a result of the Enlightenment period

Bibliography"Evangelicalism, Revivalism, and the Second Great Awakening." The

19th Century. National Humanities Center, Oct. 2000. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfonevanrev.htm>.

Howe, Daniel Walker. What God Hath Wrought. MyiLibrary. Oxford University Press, 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http:// lib.myilibrary.com/Open.aspx?id=227069&src=2>.

Brands, H. W. "The Rise of Evangelicalism." American Stories. 2007. Print

AP 2007 Form A DBQ

Ushistory.org. "Religious Transformation and the Second Great Awakening.” U.S. History Online Textbook. N.p., 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp>.

Bibliography- Images

Charles Grandison Finney. 2010. Photograph. Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

"Lyman Beecher", Ohio History Central, July 1, 2005, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=53

McMahon, Tom. "The Drunkard's Progress: From The First Glass To The Grave." Cartoon. Drunkard's Progress. Tom McMahon, 15 July 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://www.tommcmahon.net/2009/07/the-drunkards-progress-from-the-first-glass-to-the-grave.html>.

Religious Camp Meeting. 1839. Photograph. New Bedford Whaling Musuem, New Bedford, Massachusetts. Religious Revival In America. 23 July 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel07.html>.