⋆｡°✩ Unit 2.7: Enlightenment/First Great Awakening *ੈ✩‧₊˚

  Weighted: 6-8% °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 1607-1754

    With all of this discussion over colonial disputes and differences, not a lot of harmonious domestic interconnectivity is emphasized throughout this unit. However, nearing the end of the 1600's and early 1700's, there began two major ideological movements that helped bring the colony together and unify for the first time.

    Over in Europe, a popular movement occurred called Enlightenment. This development shifted away from traditional, religious thinking to a more rational thought process. Through innovative printing cultures, this concept reached America which spread fairly quickly due to its revolutionary new concepts. A very important one was, coined by author John Locke, the proposal of natural rights, the idea that all human beings were born with particular personal rights and liberties that cannot be taken away by higher powers. Moreover, another crucial one was the concept of a social construct, the idea that while the power to govern was in the hands of the people, they should also willingly give up some authority to a government that'd in return help protect and sustain their natural rights. Therefore, if a government was not meeting these standards, the people could overthrow it. The immediate success of these concepts in America would prove very essential in the next unit. Overall, with the progression of logical, scientific thinking these values were directly compared and competed against ideas presented in the Bible. With growing tension between Enlightenment and faith, the formation of a massive religious revival would also prove extremely valuable in this era. 

    With the expanding decline in religious faith due to the popularity of Enlightenment beliefs, dissatisfied preachers known as new light clergies began to promote religious beliefs founded on listening to your heart over your head (a concept based on German pietism). These teachings grew very popular and began sweeping all over America, fostering an active revival in Christianity again. There were two major figures that helped inspire and advance these teachings. Jonathan Edwards, a New England minister and scholar, preached sermons that combined both Enlightenment ideas with religion, complimenting both well. He truly laid out the foundations for the successful religious revival. The other was George Whitefield, a passionate traveling minster that used emotional appeal to really cement these religious ideas into common peoples' heads. All religious preachings shared the common theme of supporting democracy and repealing against tyrannical oppressive authority, another major intrinsic motivator seen in the next unit. 

    Both these movements were critical to fostering new liberties and advocation of the American people throughout the nation. Enlightenment had introduced these liberating concepts and the First Great Awakening fostered national unity that truly brought all differentiating colonists together. While these two movements were initially put against each other, without both supporting one another, American colonies would not have progressed this quickly or well. 

Additional Terms

⋆ Anglicization: the process by which a person or place is influenced by English culture

Author's Note: Fun fact: the Salem Witch Trials were happening around this time too. 

──── ୨୧ ──── thanks for reading!!!