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The Road to Religious Freedom
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The Enlightenment
After many years of religious oppression, the period of Enlightenment began to change perspectives on religion and the role it plays in everyday life. Instead of relying on verbatim scripture and strict rules, this period, also called "The Age of Reason," gave a different perspective and outlook on life. Instead of relying on scripture, it put forth ideas that people are rational beings and can evolve intellectually and spiritually throughout their lives without relying on religion. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a period in the early 1700's of evangelistic individualism. Instead of adhering to a rigid religious doctrine, this period gave light to an emotional connection with religion in which anyone could be saved instead of the previous mindset which focused on predestination. This revival swept the colonies like wildfire igniting the flame that would help to challenge the status quo. -
George Whitfield's "New Lights"
Throughout the Great Awakening, there were many evangelists that helped to spread the gospel of the "New Light" compared to the "Old Light." Although many colonists were proponents of this new progressive and emotional mindset, their continued to be a healthy debate as to what direction they wanted to go in. This picture depicts Whitfield as a "good vs. evil" scene. It portrays the uncertainty of this new ideology. -
Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards was a revivalist preacher in the Great Awakening. His most famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” shook the nation. He struck fear in the hearts of many Americans and truly made them question their religious convictions. This sermon took place in New England which was where the revivals were the strongest due to their Puritanical background. -
Declaration of Independence
Politics was not the only thing that the colonies were struggling with their homeland oppressors. Religious oppression had sparked a progressive and individualistic views that ultimately led the colonies to declare their independence from the country's that told them how to live for too long. The document references religion a few times but doesn't put specifics as to how it applied to America's foundational ideology as a new country. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was the agreement in 1783 that declared America as an independent nation from Great Britain. In addition to political and economic freedom, it also broke ties with the religious sector of Great Britain, allowing American to decide independently how they want religion to be handled in their new country. Finally the country would be able to decide how they want religion to be involved in their newfound country themselves. -
Virginia's Challenge
After America had established themselves as an independent country, there were still many changed to be had. The Virginia colony which was mostly domination by the Catholic church. In 1786 Virginia as a colony rejected the Catholic Church of England and approved religious freedom for all of it's residents. This progressive mindset continued to become more prominent in the southern colonies which were more religiously progressive than those of the Puritanical New England colonies. -
Bill of Rights
After America finally declared their independence from Great Britain and finalized it with the Treaty of Paris, it was time for the new country to begin setting a new list of rights for its citizens. The Bill of Rights is known as the first ten amendments to the constitution. The first amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It continues but clearly religious freedom was the number one issue.
