How religious beliefs helped shape and change culture and society in the American Colonies from 1700-1812
By Suzyjarschke
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The Puritans
The Puritans continue their strict and somber path to reform the Protestant Church of England in the New England colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. There were no religious freedoms tolerated by the Puritans and recently several people were burned at the stake for accusations of witchcraft and heresy. -
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Religious changes in the American Colonies that helped pave the way toward Revolution from 1700-1812
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The First Great Awakening
The 1730's-1740's held great change to the strict and somber religious practices. One such agent of change during this period known as "The Great Awakening" was Jonathon Edwards, a Yale graduate who promoted the idea of practicing religion with emotional fervor and emotion, wrote a sermon entitled, "Sinners in the the Hands of an Angry God," that spread the new Evangelican idea of worship. The sermon was given in Massachusetts and spread down the Connecticut River Valley. -
Consequences of the Great Awakening
The Great Awakening created a new American spirit of piety, independence, optimism, and movement away from the hierarchical concept of England. This movement helped guide believers, such as Benjamin Franklin, and shape the ideals and planning that brought about the Revolution. -
Revolution!
Multiple disputes arose between Great Britain and the North American Colonists, for example the Disallowance Two Penny Act, the Sugar Act, and the Stamp Act. Through the Great Awakening and The Enlightenment, the colonists felt empowered to stand up and repeal these injustices resulting in coming together, despite differences, and the First Continental Congress was initiated. Independence was not quite sought at this point, but a distinct separation was fought for. Thus colonists make militias. -
Separation of Church and State Post Revolution
Virginia is the first colony to approve separation of Church and State as a revolutionary response against the Church of England. Other colonies, such as Pennsylvania, follow suit. This way elected officials may practice a different faith than the Church of England. The New England Colonies did not follow the idea of religious freedom and continued with the Congregational Church established by the Puritans in the 17th century. -
Second Great Awakening
The 2nd Great Awakening brought huge expansion of Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. A small group of Baptists lived in Danbury, CT and were not treated fairly by the more dominant Puritans. They wrote a letter to President Thomas Jefferson and he wrote back and eventually the Establishment Clause being written in to the Constitution. This group would have been persecuted and executed 50 years prior due to allegations of heresy.
