The second great awakening

After reading chapter ten, I noticed that religion was different at the time than it was today. Today, we are still a nation under God, but we have the freedom to worship anything we want to in america. During the early nineteenth century however, revivalist preachers would ride on horseback to preach about spiritual and moral renewal in different towns and villages. Many of the people in those villages or towns would come in the masses to hear these preachers and spread the word about them also. An example of this occurred in Cane Ridge, Kentucky. This was the the largest revival and drew every one out ten residents in Kentucky to hear about the revivals. Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian preachers came and preached to the masses of people with passionate sermons to sway the crowds to strive for salvation. Events like one in Cane Ridge, Kentucky, did cause significant changes in Americans' religious affiliations. There were so many revivals across America during the second great awakening that one area in the western and central New York State was called "burned over district," which was named by Charles Grandson Finney. He said that so many religious groups came through and preached that "there were no more souls to awaken to the fire of spiritual conversion." (Paragraph 4, section 2) The second great awakening caused almost all of America to be "revived" in religion and reshape the nation's religious landscape.

Revival and Religious Change

In the first section of chapter 10, Revival and Religious Change, it talks a great deal about the formation of other religions beliefs and the efforts to spread these beliefs. For example Methodism was not a very popular religion in America until 1850 when it became clear he most popular denomination. The Methodism's strategy to reach peoples spiritual needs by using circuit riders. The men and women pushed west with the expansion of America to reach new settlers. "All souls are equal in salvation and that all people can be saved by surrendering to God", this is one of the most important  transformations of the second great awakening. Charles Grandison Finney and Lyman Beecher were two men that didn't see religion eye to eye but both were very influential to this idea. The Revolution tore down to old rules and code of conduct for the religious leaders and set new standards. Preachers of longstanding denominations were required to have a divinity degree and at least some theological training in order to become spiritual leaders, many alternative denominations only required a conversion experience and a supernatural “call to preach.” Some reforms within the church were so opposed such as the Methodist and Baptist church  the members requested that the go back to how the earlier generations did it. This brought about self declared prophets who claimed to be called by God to creat new churches and introduce new ideas. Transcendentalism emerged during this time as well and believed in a higher spiritual principle within each person that could be trusted to discover truth, guide moral action, and inspire art. Many America Christians didn't give into the rival groups. Instead many created groups to protest and reject the orthodox beliefs of the other groups.

Religion and Reform

After reading chapter 10 on Revival and Religious Change my thought have changed just a little on America's view about religion during that time period. During this day and time, American's are allowed to believe in or worship whatever they want without anyone making them change their mind or make them do otherwise. With that being said, many people still have their own religion like Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, ect. Though America is like this today, it was not the same many years ago. In chapter 10 it talks about how priests and people that worked for the church would go around on horse back, spreading the word of the Lord. People would stop what they were doing and go straight to the town to hear the lesson. Once these people would hear these priests teaching and preaching, they would spread the word. This was called the Second Great Awakening. People would come from everywhere just to hear these preachers talk and teach the Gospel. One of the largest events during the Second Awakening, occurred in a place called Cane, Ridge Kentucky. These people would meet anywhere just to hear the Gospel. And the preachers would preach anywhere such as many preached in makeshift pulpits that could stand over the crowd so people could see them or they would stand on stumps from old trees to preach. Anywhere to get the word out. Events like Cane, Ridge was what sparked changes in America's beliefs.

My thoughts on the Great Awakening

      Today I am going to talk about my thoughts about the antebellum period discussed in chapter ten of the American Yawp. This chapter focused on talking about the different types of religions that sparked and the ones that already existed. Now it first talks about this era as also the Second Great Awakening. In other words, just about every religion in the U.S at the time had begun to grow in numbers. Preachers were coming out of nowhere and just spreading the word of their religion everywhere they could. They were taking advantage of people’s anxiety and want anthem to come to their church and so they could feel better. Meanwhile as they come in the more money they receive for the church and to pay themselves. Now this was with a lot of churches, but to with all of them. Some of the new churches that spawned I believed they didn’t want church leaders to be paid, but to teach and preach from the heart. One of those churches for examples is the Latter-day saints. I happen to be one of them and I have done research on my religion to find out that he did just that. I just thought that was cool. Another thing that caught my eye that I liked was the message, “the eternal ONE,’ manifested through the special harmony between the individual soul and nature” these have been my thoughts about the religion portion of this chapter.

Religion In Early America

After reading the article, my view and opinion of religion in early America hasn't changed that much. America was founded somewhat on religious roots, and this chapter helped to show that. While I did know that there was a split in several different denominations early on in American history, I didn't realize that this was because of the Second Great Awakening, which I didn't even know existed. People began experimenting with and developing new ways of looking at the Christian bible, and as a result new denominations naturally formed. These denominations were much newer than the other existing denominations, like the Episcopals, and gave its members a refreshing view of old doctrine; emotions became more important, Calvinism was looked at differently, and many different ideas were developed that made this new set of denominations very desirable to people at the time. Ministers from these denominations also began holding revivals, just like in the First Great Awakening, which brought more people into the fold, so to speak.

One important idea that became quite important in early America, and that continues to influence us today, was the doctrine of "Perfectionism". Perfectionism stated that true Christians would naturally want to do the good works that God commanded them to do, hence the name; since God was perfect, Perfectionist Christians were to be perfect themselves. Revivals led by Perfectionist preachers helped to spread this ideal and make it popular. Soon, people started to form "committees" to help attack specific injustices and problems that they saw in society. These committees helped lower alcoholism, decrease violence, spread Christianity, and create many important institutions, such as hospitals, orphanages, and prisons. Some of these same ideals have survived since early America, existing in certain denominations, nonprofits, and charities, and thus influencing how we live and work today. 

Articles of Confederation --- Constituion

Defending the articles of confederation:

Federalists were those who supported the constitution and anti-federalists did not think our Constitution was a good idea. The anti-federalists believed that the Constitution would give the government too much power and control. They were scared that citizens would eventually lose their rights because of this document. The Articles of Confederation said that congress should be the last to make decisions and that the individual states should be able to make decisions for themselves. The Articles did let congress make treaties and alliances, and keep up with armed forces and our money. However, they could not do things such as regulate taxes or regulate commerce. Anti-federalists agreed with the Articles much more than they did the Constitution that was being discussed because it limited government control.

Why we need the Constitution:

The Constitution is a crucial part of what makes our country such a wonderful and free home. This document promises very important rights to everyone. Life would be miserable without freedoms the Constitution promises such as freedom of speech, religion, press, to bear arms, ect. The Constitution is much more effective because the author’s realized it was not perfect. The Bill of Rights proves this because it shows that this document was open for change if it would keep help our country run more smoothy. Our Constitution gives government the power they need and promises certain rights they deserve.  

Defending the articles of confederation:

Federalists were those who supported the constitution and anti-federalists did not think our Constitution was a good idea. The anti-federalists believed that the Constitution would give the government too much power and control. They were scared that citizens would eventually lose their rights because of this document. The Articles of Confederation said that congress should be the last to make decisions and that the individual states should be able to make decisions for themselves. The Articles did let congress make treaties and alliances, and keep up with armed forces and our money. However, they could not do things such as regulate taxes or regulate commerce. Anti-federalists agreed with the Articles much more than they did the Constitution that was being discussed because it limited government control.

Why we need the Constitution:

The Constitution is a crucial part of what makes our country such a wonderful and free home. This document promises very important rights to everyone. Life would be miserable without freedoms the Constitution promises such as freedom of speech, religion, press, to bear arms, ect. The Constitution is much more effective because the author’s realized it was not perfect. The Bill of Rights proves this because it shows that this document was open for change if it would keep help our country run more smoothy. Our Constitution gives government the power they need and promises certain rights they deserve.