The Great Awakenings During the 18th Century and in the 19th Century

There are two events called the great awakenings which took place during the 18th century and again in the 19th century. There are many comparisons between both events that happened as there are differences, however, the differences impact more between the two. This paper will emphasize on the dissimilarity on how the two awakenings arose, how they affected people, and how it ended. After what is called the Glorious Revolution during the 17th century there was no more fighting involved between religious and political groups. The Church of England was a governing church. This means that the people came to an agreement that, that was the only religion that was allowed, therefore defeating all other religions.

This event made everyone think everything was going to be alright because when looking at it from a government view it seemed to be some type of responsibility or some type of order. In the public, since everyone practiced the same religion, this did not make things healthier. It caused an unthinking satisfaction, like when you eat unhealthy food to satisfy your hunger but in the long run, it is bad for you and harms your body. After the 18th century, a young minister from Yale University named Jonathan Edwards reduced to turn to the Church of England. He felt that the people were losing the vision of what was important. He felt that people lost their purpose in this world and instead they became unreasonably disturbed by the world around them. Edwards did not like what he saw and what the people were picturing and who they were becoming so he spoke out. He spoke with so much impatience and rage that when he did speak people got together to listen, which ignited to what we know as the First Great Awakening. The great awakening affected American colonies in many different ways.

George Whitfield played an important role during this great awakening. He was a minister from Britain who was invested by the Church of England. He traveled around the American colonies from Georgia to New England. Every time Whitfield gave one of his speeches, he always spoke with such desire, and passion, that people would actually go see him and to hear him speak his words. The awakening event led this from happening, it seems to be some separation in America. This separation that happened was caused by the New Light ministers and the Old Light ministers.

The New Light ministers were ministers who accepted the new style of worship; however, the Old Light ministers chose not to agree to such new beliefs. Regardless of the issue between the people, an unanticipated outcome that came from this was that the patient with religion was accepted more widely, which was making it obvious that in an area there can be more than one religion without one taking over that area. The Great Awakening was the first main event that broke down the differences between the colonies. But the First Great Awakening left a permanent impact on America and the colonies' religion. It originated from influential refreshers that gave people some type of wrongdoing that they felt deep inside and of their necessity of redemption by Christ, giving them a greater purpose to live for. The effects of the Glorious Revolution in 1688 made an exception to something to pastime with and do the motions to during the religious services with no personal connection whatsoever, but then the Great Awakening built a personal connection between the religion and an average person and brought Christianity to African slaves. Although the awakening did not last for a long span of time, the Great Awakening was what got the colonies ready for the American Revolution.

The American Revolution took place from 1775 to 1783. This was an event that was not at all connected with religion, which is a little confusing since it took place after the first great awakening. The Founding Fathers showed great disapproval of the conjoining of religion and politics in the first amendment by establishing the departure of church and state. As a result of religion not being able to be taken care of by political leaders, revivals had started up again. This started to lead to what we know as the second great awakening which took place between the end of the 18th century and the second half of the 19th century. In the beginning of the American Revolution, there were three main large movements known as the Congregationalists, Anglicans, and Quakers. But when the second great awakening began Methodism and Baptist were becoming familiar and popular.

It made America/colonies more stable because everyone was practicing the same religion, but instead of bringing them closer to the creator, it created hesitation, and many became disbelievers. Going to church became somewhat of a chore, and you had to do it, where people would participate just to get the speech over with, instead of taking the time to praise and have a love for our creator. It affected the colonies by creating rifts among members of religious denominations. Not also that, but it did split churches up, and expand the degree to which people felt that religion was even or should be important in their lives.