THE GREAT AWAKENING VS.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

GREAT AWAKENING

1730’s-1740’s

Traveling ministers stirred up religious

emotions and fearsTerrified listeners

with images of God’s anger but promised salvation to those who did as

they were told

JONATHAN EDWARDS

Best known preacher of Great

Awakening• Famous Sermon:

“Sinners in the hands of an angry God”

SIGNIFICANCE

Inspired colonists to return to

religious roots and do charitable

work

Churches gained 50,000 new

members

Founded religious colleges like

Brown and Princeton

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

1700’s -1790’s

Emphasized reason and

science as paths to knowledge

Began in Europe, then came

to America

HISTORY MAKERS

Science – Newton’s laws

Philosophy – John Locke (natural

rights: life, liberty and property)

Inventions- Ben Franklin (Lightning

rod, bifocals, Franklin Stove)

POOR RICHARD’S ALMANAC

A yearly book written by Ben

Franklin

Had weather predictions,

clever sayings, stories, poems,

etc.

“Haste Makes Waste”

SIGNIFICANCE

Enlightenment ideas of

natural rights and

government by agreement

influenced colonists

Helped spur American

Revolution!