Religious Religious Revivalism Revivalism

and Utopian and Utopian IdealismIdealism

Second Great Second Great AwakeningAwakening

1797 – 18591797 – 1859 The Second Great The Second Great

Awakening began Awakening began among frontier among frontier farmers of Kentuckyfarmers of Kentucky

Spread quickly among Spread quickly among Methodists, Baptists, Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyteriansand Presbyterians

Central ideas: Central ideas: Christians have a Christians have a moral duty to improve moral duty to improve the world in which the world in which they live; entrance to they live; entrance to Heaven is gained Heaven is gained through acts of faiththrough acts of faith

Tent RevivalsTent Revivals During the Awakening, During the Awakening,

traveling ministers traveling ministers would set up tents and would set up tents and preach, often for up to preach, often for up to a week at a timea week at a time

Singing, prayers, Singing, prayers, motivational sermons, motivational sermons, and speaking in and speaking in tongues were all tongues were all designed to whip up designed to whip up the crowd into the crowd into emotional emotional protestations of faithprotestations of faith

Charles G. FinneyCharles G. Finney 1792 – 18751792 – 1875 Revivalist Presbyterian Revivalist Presbyterian

ministerminister Allowed women to Allowed women to

participate in public participate in public prayer (not a normal prayer (not a normal practice at the time)practice at the time)

Preached that everyone Preached that everyone has the ability to gain has the ability to gain salvation through salvation through repentance and good repentance and good works that demonstrate works that demonstrate faith in Godfaith in God

Planned and rehearsed Planned and rehearsed his revival sermonshis revival sermons

Lyman BeecherLyman Beecher 1775 – 18631775 – 1863 Revivalist Presbyterian Revivalist Presbyterian

ministerminister Father of author Harriet Father of author Harriet

Beecher Stowe (Beecher Stowe (Uncle Uncle Tom’s CabinTom’s Cabin))

Preached that citizens, Preached that citizens, not government, have to not government, have to be responsible for be responsible for building a better societybuilding a better society

Strongly nativist (anti-Strongly nativist (anti-immigrant) and anti-immigrant) and anti-CatholicCatholic

Benevolent societiesBenevolent societies Developed in larger towns Developed in larger towns

and cities in response to and cities in response to the revivalism of the the revivalism of the Second Great AwakeningSecond Great Awakening

Main goal was to spread Main goal was to spread Protestant Christianity, but Protestant Christianity, but soon began to focus on soon began to focus on social issues such as social issues such as alcoholism, prison reform, alcoholism, prison reform, education reform, and education reform, and slaveryslavery

Surprisingly, many of these Surprisingly, many of these societies were led by societies were led by womenwomen

““True Womanhood”True Womanhood” Also called “The Cult of Also called “The Cult of

Domesticity”Domesticity” Belief at the time was that a Belief at the time was that a

woman’s responsibility was to woman’s responsibility was to be a homemaker and a model be a homemaker and a model of Christian piety and virtue to of Christian piety and virtue to their children and husbandtheir children and husband

This implied that wives were This implied that wives were their husbands’ social equals their husbands’ social equals and their moral superiorsand their moral superiors

Women interpreted this to Women interpreted this to mean that they had the mean that they had the responsibility to build a moral responsibility to build a moral society in which to raise their society in which to raise their families, so they assumed a families, so they assumed a role of social activismrole of social activism

Revivalism and Revivalism and abolitionabolition

Most revivalist Most revivalist ministers were ministers were staunch supporters of staunch supporters of the abolitionist (anti-the abolitionist (anti-slavery) movementslavery) movement

They taught that They taught that slavery was sinful slavery was sinful because it destroys because it destroys the soul of the the soul of the master and the body master and the body of the slaveof the slave

New American New American Religious GroupsReligious Groups

The Unitarian The Unitarian ChurchChurch

Believe Jesus was Believe Jesus was not the Son of God, not the Son of God, but was an but was an important teacher – important teacher – there was no Virgin there was no Virgin Birth, no miracles, Birth, no miracles, and no Resurrectionand no Resurrection

God is a unity (God God is a unity (God is One), not a is One), not a Trinity (Father, Son, Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)Holy Spirit)

The Universalist The Universalist ChurchChurch

Believe in Universal Believe in Universal salvation – there is no salvation – there is no Hell and God redeems Hell and God redeems everyone because He everyone because He loves everyone loves everyone (Omni-benevolence)(Omni-benevolence)

God would not create God would not create a person knowing that a person knowing that they were doomed to they were doomed to eternal damnation eternal damnation

The Mormon The Mormon ChurchChurch

The Church of Jesus The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Christ of Latter-day SaintsSaints

Started in New York, but Started in New York, but were the victims of were the victims of harassment and harassment and persecution over their persecution over their unique religious beliefs, unique religious beliefs, including the addition of including the addition of a third testament to the a third testament to the Bible (The Book of Bible (The Book of Mormon) and practice of Mormon) and practice of polygamy (having polygamy (having multiple wives)multiple wives)

After leaving New York, After leaving New York, the group eventually the group eventually resettled in Illinoisresettled in Illinois

Joseph SmithJoseph Smith 1805 – 18441805 – 1844 Founder of Mormonism and Founder of Mormonism and

recorder of The Book of recorder of The Book of Mormon – which he Mormon – which he claimed to have received claimed to have received from an angel – which from an angel – which describes how the describes how the Israelites arrived in Israelites arrived in America around 600 BC America around 600 BC and were later visited by and were later visited by JesusJesus

Had numerous legal Had numerous legal problems in Missouri and problems in Missouri and Illinois which eventually led Illinois which eventually led to his arrestto his arrest

Murdered by an anti-Murdered by an anti-Mormon mob in 1844 while Mormon mob in 1844 while awaiting trialawaiting trial

Brigham YoungBrigham Young 1801 – 18771801 – 1877 President of the Mormon President of the Mormon

church from 1847 -1877church from 1847 -1877 After Smith’s death, he led After Smith’s death, he led

the Mormons west to the the Mormons west to the remote Utah Territory to remote Utah Territory to escape persecution, founding escape persecution, founding Salt Lake City, which remains Salt Lake City, which remains the unofficial “capital” of the the unofficial “capital” of the Church todayChurch today

Had 55 wives, but most were Had 55 wives, but most were widows he married in order widows he married in order to become financially to become financially responsible for them and responsible for them and their childrentheir children

Utopian CommunitiesUtopian CommunitiesAttempts to Attempts to

establish social establish social equality by equality by building building communities communities where all work, where all work, responsibilities responsibilities and rewards are and rewards are shared equally by shared equally by the citizensthe citizens

New Harmony, IndianaNew Harmony, Indiana Town which was Town which was

bought in 1824 by a bought in 1824 by a utopian group with utopian group with the intention of the intention of transforming it into a transforming it into a perfect socialist perfect socialist communitycommunity

No private property, No private property, no money were no money were allowedallowed

The community failed The community failed and was dissolved in and was dissolved in 18291829

Oneida Community, Oneida Community, NYNY

Founded by John Noyes in 1848 in Founded by John Noyes in 1848 in Oneida, NY; lasted until 1881Oneida, NY; lasted until 1881

All members of the community All members of the community worked in a factory making worked in a factory making silverware (Oneida Flatware)silverware (Oneida Flatware)

Every man was married to every Every man was married to every woman in the community (a woman in the community (a practice called complex marriage)practice called complex marriage)

Older women introduced young Older women introduced young men to sex, while older men did men to sex, while older men did the same for young womenthe same for young women

Efforts were made to breed more Efforts were made to breed more perfect children by careful perfect children by careful selection of breeding partners; selection of breeding partners; children were then raised by the children were then raised by the community rather than by specific community rather than by specific parentsparents

Community only reached a Community only reached a maximum size of about 300, but maximum size of about 300, but still managed to produce two men still managed to produce two men who would later assassinate US who would later assassinate US presidents!presidents!

Brook Farm Brook Farm CommunityCommunity

Founded in 1841, near Founded in 1841, near west Roxbury, MAwest Roxbury, MA

Community of Community of Transcendentalist Transcendentalist philosophersphilosophers

Citizens shared all labor, Citizens shared all labor, and used their free time and used their free time for intellectual for intellectual discussiondiscussion

Community collapsed Community collapsed economically after being economically after being destroyed by fire in destroyed by fire in 18471847

ShakersShakers The United Society of The United Society of

Believers in Christ’s Second Believers in Christ’s Second AppearingAppearing

Founded by Ann Lee (who Founded by Ann Lee (who Shakers believed to be the Shakers believed to be the Second Appearing of Christ) Second Appearing of Christ) in England; offshoot of the in England; offshoot of the QuakersQuakers

No marriage allowed, lifelong No marriage allowed, lifelong celibacy requiredcelibacy required

Shakers would adopt orphans Shakers would adopt orphans to keep communities aliveto keep communities alive

All work and living quarters All work and living quarters were divided by sex, but the were divided by sex, but the sexes were equalssexes were equals

Peaked in mid 1800s with Peaked in mid 1800s with about 6000 members, today about 6000 members, today only 3 known practitioners in only 3 known practitioners in the USthe US