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Massachusetts
Pilgrims arrive in Massachusetts seeking religious freedom. -
“A Model of Christian Charity” - John Winthrop
Described a utopian society run by the church. This modeled Puritan communities in New England and describes them as “a city upon a hill” as if these town were the shining example of perfect societies according to the Puritan church. -
Harvard College Founded
Harvard College was founded by Puritans, originally to train future ministers -
Toleration Act
The Maryland Assembly passed the Toleration Act, providing protection to Roman Catholics against Protestant harassment and discrimination, a problem which had been on the increase due to the growing power of Oliver Cromwell in England. -
Pennsylvania
William Penn, an English Quaker, received a charter from Charles II which made him the sole proprietor of the colonial American territory of Pennsylvania -
Holy Experiment
Was an attempt by quakers to establish a community for themselves and other persecuted religious minorities in what would become the modern state of Pennsylvania. -
Salem Witch Trials
Taking place in puritan communities, the salem witch trials where a series of hearings where over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned for the illegal act of witchery. In these societies, the bible was the law and anything that went against it was prosecuted against. -
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The First Great Awakening
A period of time in the 18th century which saw religious renewal. Church attendance, preaching, and spiritual and religious topic came to surface in the lives of american colonists. Among many others, Jonathan Edwards was one of the people who sparked this religious renewal with the writing of “sinners in the hands of an angry God” which scared people into being religious. -
George Whitefield's First American Preaching Tour
George Whitefield's preaching tour (1739-1740) helped propel his career as the preeminent revivalist of the First Great Awakening. -
Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards preached his classic sermon, 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,' a key step in the beginning of New England's Great Awakening. -
Baptists
Baptist churches started drawing Southerners, especially poor white farmers, into a new, much more democratic religion. They welcomed slaves to their services, and many slaves became Baptists at this time. -
“Shakers”
English religious leader Ann Lee and a small group of followers arrived in America. Her sect became known to others as the "Shakers." -
First Amendment
Separates church and state. The first amendment to the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" -
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Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening fought the perceived moral decay of society and charged Americans to lead their fellow man to salvation. The Second Great Awakening preached sermons that were much softer and kinder. Rather than portraying an angry, vengeful God, the Second Great Awakening painted God as a benevolent and compassionate ruler who only wanted the salvation of every man. -
American Temperance Society
Was established in 1826. Within five years there were 2,220 local chapters in the U.S. with 170,000 members who had taken a pledge to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Temperance was one of the Four Cardinal Virtues considered central to Christian behavior by the Catholic Church -
Joseph Smith
At the age of 24, Joseph Smith first published his famous book "The Book of Mormon." -
Church of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
Formed by Joseph Smith in 1830 and led to Utah by Brigham Young after Joseph Smiths death -
First Mormon Church
The first Mormon temple was dedicated in Kirtland, Ohio. -
Death of Joseph Smith
An angry mob broke into Joseph Smith’s jail cell and killed him on June 27, 1844. Smith became a martyr at the age of 38 -
Utah
Mormons arrive in Utah, led by Brigham Young, to create perfect mormon society. -
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Third Great Awakening
The Third Great Awakening was a period of religious activism in American history from the late 1850s to the 20th century. It affected pietistic Protestant denominations and had a strong sense of social activism. It gathered strength from the postmillennial theology that the Second Coming of Christ would come after mankind had reformed the entire earth. -
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Social Gospel Movement
A reform movement led by Protestant ministers who used religious doctrine to demand better housing and living conditions for the urban poor. Popular at the turn of the twentieth century, it was closely linked to the settlement house movement, which brought middle-class, Anglo-American service volunteers into contact with immigrants and working people. -
WCTU
The first Woman's Christian Temperance Union meeting was held in Boston. -
Scopes Trial
a highly publicized trial where John Thomas Scopes violated a Tennessee state law by teaching evolution in high school. Scopes was convicted but the verdict was later overturned. Displayed the fundamentalism prevalent in rural areas at the time. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression's effect on the religious and cultural landscape of America is profound. The Assemblies of God church, for example, sees its membership almost triple. At the same time, large mainstream denominations lose their financial base and their members. With a renewed sense of the need for reform the Social Gospel experiences a revival. -
Religious Radio
In response to contentious religious radio programs -- most notably with Father Charles Coughlin, whose political views had turned radical and fascist -- the National Association of Broadcasters sets out rules regarding how religion can be portrayed on NAB stations -
Baptist Church Bombing
Members of the KKK bomb the steps of a predominantly black church in Birmingham, Alabama as a response to Martin Luther King Jr’s recent protests and speeches. -
Civil Rights Act
House of Representatives passed the Civil Rights act of 1964 which ended all racial and religious segregation by law -
New Pope
John Paul II becomes the new Catholic Pope of the free world -
Heavens Gate Suicide
Thirty-nine members of the Heaven's Gate cult in California began committing mass suicide for religious reasons -
LGBT Marriage legal
Barack Obama and the supreme court rules that the banning of same sex marriage in all states and districts of the US was unconstitutional and would be enforced immediately. -
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was chosen to lead the Mormon church after the death of Joseph Smith -
Catholic Preists
Almost 11,000 sexual assault allegations were made by children in which different catholic priests were accused of different sexual crimes