THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING

The 1st Great Awakening 1730’s – 1740’s Many early American religious groups in

the Calvinist tradition had emphasized the deep depravity of human beings and believed they could only be saved through the grace of God by extreme devotion.

In America – Quakers, Anglican, Congregationalists (Puritains)

1st Great Awakening – Rebellion against these forced religions.

1st Great Awakening

During this the people of the American colonies realized that they could worship the way they wanted. Local govts could no longer force by law how a person worships. (think Salem witch trials)

Some historians believe that the 1st Great Awakening led to the Revolutionary War

New revival of religious feelings

What causes revival of religion?Early 1730’s & 40’s – 1st Great Awakening

○ What caused the 1st Great Awakening?

1820’s to 1860’s – 2nd Great Awakening○ What was going on during this period?○ Why would people turn to religion during this

period?

2nd Great Awakening religion The new evangelical movement placed

greater emphasis on humans' ability to change their situation for the better.

The Second Great Awakening embraced a more optimistic view of the human condition.

So what does this mean?

New time religion

Evangelists Everyone can be “saved” New sects

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormons) formed

Baptists and Methodists grow in popularity

Reforming society

Public schoolImmigration drives the desire for public

school○ Why?

Public schools are opened in the northern states.○ Why are there no public schools in the south?

Horace Mann – leader in the education movement

Prison Reform Mentally ill are given their own facilities Pennsylvania System – complete

solitary confinement Auburn system – prisoners worked

together in complete silence during the day and slept in their own cell at night

Temperance Movement

The attempt to end alcohol and the problems caused by it

Women’s Suffrage

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The Seneca Falls Convention was the first woman's rights convention. It was revolutionary because these women took a step outside of their sphere and brought the problem of woman's rights to the public. They took the first step of trying to change woman's inequality by holding this convention to make people aware of woman's rights.

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The Seneca Falls Declaration (1848)

“we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…. And such is now the necessity which constraints [women] to demand the equal station to which they are entitled. “

Declaration of Sentiments

Seneca Falls, July 1848

Abolition Movement This movement to

end slavery in America picks up steam during this this time but we are going to save this topic for next the next unit (sorry)