Second Great Second Great AwakeningAwakening

1800-18401800-1840

What Was It?What Was It?

Burned-Over District

• New religious revivalism • Mostly in the rural areas of New

England, Middle States, and Western areas of the U.S.

• Camp-meetings --25, 000 at some gatherings

• Energetic and emotional; based on revelation and faith conversion

• Faith over reason• Very democratic in nature Majority were women slaves working class• Spread by itinerant preachers

Second Great Awakening: Second Great Awakening: CausesCauses

o Secularism of the American RevolutionSecularism of the American Revolutiono Scientific attacks on religion: the EnlightenmentScientific attacks on religion: the Enlightenmento Poor church attendancePoor church attendanceo New England: attacks on Puritan pre-destinationNew England: attacks on Puritan pre-destinationo Apparent absence of God in daily livesApparent absence of God in daily liveso Market Revolution: The New MaterialismMarket Revolution: The New Materialism

The Intensity of SGAThe Intensity of SGA

1831

Camp Meetings

Abolitionist Meetings

Cane Ridge Revival (1801)Cane Ridge Revival (1801)

KentuckyKentucky

Week long; 25,000 attendeesWeek long; 25,000 attendees

"The noise was like the roar of Niagara. The vast sea of human beings seemed to be agitated as if by a storm. I counted seven ministers, all preaching at one time, some on stumps, others in wagons and one standing on a tree which had, in falling, lodged against another. At one time I saw at least five hundred swept down in a moment as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them, and then immediately followed shrieks and shouts that rent the very heavens.

- James Finley, later a Methodist circuit rider

Why Did It Catch On?Why Did It Catch On?

o Upheaval caused by the Upheaval caused by the market revolutionmarket revolution

o Expanding transportation Expanding transportation networknetwork

o Western expansion: Lack Western expansion: Lack of religionof religion

o Expanding slave Expanding slave populationpopulation

o Economic uncertainty Economic uncertainty caused by Panics of 1819 caused by Panics of 1819 & 1837& 1837

o Expanding middle classExpanding middle class

Second Great Awakening: Second Great Awakening: A ComparisonA Comparison

First Great AwakeningFirst Great Awakening

God Granted SalvationGod Granted Salvation Sinful nature of humansSinful nature of humans Incapacity to change Incapacity to change

behaviorbehavior ““Fire and Brimstone”Fire and Brimstone” PredestinationPredestination Spawned collegesSpawned colleges

Second Great AwakeningSecond Great Awakening• Individuals controlled Individuals controlled

salvationsalvation• Innate goodness of humanityInnate goodness of humanity• Rejected predestinationRejected predestination• Capacity to change behaviorCapacity to change behavior• Stressed personal Stressed personal

accountabilityaccountability• Spread and expanded religionSpread and expanded religion• Emotional connection GodEmotional connection God• Also spawned collegesAlso spawned colleges

George FinneyGeorge Finney

Most prominent and dynamic preacher of the Second Awakening

Began preaching in 1829 in Upper New York

ImpactImpact Dramatically increased church attendanceDramatically increased church attendance Expanded ChristianityExpanded Christianity

BaptistsBaptists MethodistsMethodists

Provided for public participation for women: social outlet for middle Provided for public participation for women: social outlet for middle classclass

Emphasized the importance of religion for slavesEmphasized the importance of religion for slaves Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the

Indians and foreign nationsIndians and foreign nations Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the Indians Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the Indians

and foreign nationsand foreign nations Spawned reform movements: Attempts at perfection: individuals and Spawned reform movements: Attempts at perfection: individuals and

societysociety

ReformReform

AbolitionismAbolitionism

ReformReform

TemperanceTemperance

ReformReform

Treatment of Mentally IllTreatment of Mentally Ill

Dorothea Dix

ReformReform

Prison ReformPrison Reform

ReformReform

Utopian Utopian ExperimentsExperiments

ReformReform

EducationEducation

ReformReform

Status of Status of WomenWomen

ReformReform

Juvenile CrimeJuvenile Crime

ReformReform

Diet & NutritionDiet & Nutrition