The Great Awakening

The American colonies were the most literate in the world: 90% men;40% women England averaged at 30%

A religious movement that swept through the colonies and Europe during mid 1700s Rapid growth of evangelical religions such as Methodist and Baptist First real common colonial experience

People begin to feel as though religion was dry, dull, and distant Believed the public had "fallen asleep" piously and needed to be woken up

Puritan minister who used raw emotional sermons to reach all classes of colonists Preached that "good works" and "godly lives" would bring you to salvation Forced to give sermons in open areas called revivals

Theologian from Massachusetts Preached about: The sovereignty of God The moral corruption of man The imminent danger of Hell The importance of a religious rebirth

Challenged the established religious beliefs, practices, and institutions Popularity of evangelical movement and style of preaching creates problems for established churches

Clergy who tried to fight the influence of the Great Awakening Promoted church membership as means to salvation Use of reason Promoted hierarchy and respect for authority Traditional beliefs within the colonies Quakers send Anglicans

Evangelical ministers belonging to new religious sects Part of the revivals Felt that religious message had run astray Baptists, and Methodists

Promoted equality Anyone could be saved; Blacks and women considered equals within the "New Light" movement Challenged established authority "Come as you are" Laid the foundations for the American Revolution

The period known as_________ in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries saw the development of new ideas about the rights of people and their relationship to their rulers

French philosopher during the enlightenment Creates a theory known as the Social Contract

States that all governments must rest on the consent of the governed or popular sovereignty An informal contract exists between elected leaders and general will of the majority

Enlightenment philosopher whose ideas influenced the American belief in self governed

All people are free, equal, and have God given rights of life, liberty, and property All original power resides within the people and the consent among themselves to form a government to protect their rights Whenever the government becomes a threat to the people's rights, the people have the right to overthrow it

English immigrant to America who produced a pamphlet known as Common Sense Challenged the rule of American colonies by the king of England Contributed to a desire for independence from GB

Enlightenment ideas about sovereignty and rights of the people were radical and challenged the practice throughout the world of dictatorial rule These new views took a strong hold in the minds of the British colonists

Policy of the early 1700s that favored British merchants by doing nothing to disturb the prosperity of the American colonies Resulted in the American colonies having many freedoms that were not offered in other British colonies

House of Burgesses 1607

Mayflower compact 1620

Fundamental Orders of Government1639

Rhode Island Roger Williams 1636

PA, RI, and Maryland toleration act 1649

John Peter Zinger trial 1734

High degree of autonomy

Direct democracy in practice

Mostly in new England and middle colonies

Greater opportunity to move up the ladder of process than anywhere in the world

Colonial society was more egalitarian No nobility and paternalistic, monarchal rule common to Europe More religious diversity and toleration than in England and Europe

The idea that colonies exist for the benefit of the Mother Country