The history of religion in America is an odd one as it is a story of gained freedoms but also of persecution. Being an atheist, I have a tendency to view any religious explosion with a healthy dose of cynicism and I view this one as such. Life is pretty great, in my opinion, when religion doesn't have to play a central role in one's life.
I do think that the changes made in christian thinking at this time were mostly positive as they were much livelier and gave equal ability for everyone to repent.
To give credit to the second great awakening, it did bring those under its power together and perhaps the unity brought on by that was necessary for the time. Perhaps without it America would have started slipping into disarray without anything to unify everyone's daily lives.
I didn't realize how many denominations came out of the great awakening. It's interesting to read about the birth of some of the more zany and out there sects and how they differ from the status quo.
I would like to refute something I've read regarding religion in America. Without it, we would still have rules and morals. America's rules are in the constitution and various laws. Otherwise we would be no better than the middle-eastern countries killing off their citizens based on the reading of the Quran. Now, this one is an opinion though in my mind it is as clear as fact, morality comes from people, not books.
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