Chapters 3&4 Colonial America: The Great Awakening, Science, and Colonial Politics

Vocabulary flashcards covering key religious figures, scientific developments, and political concepts from colonial American history.

Great Awakening

A religious movement starting in earnest in the 1730s that arose following a major decline in traditional religious beliefs due to progress in scientific thought.

John and Charles Wesley

Powerful evangelists from England who founded Methodism.

George Whitefield

A popular evangelist who conducted heavy evangelizing tours and preached to almost every resident in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Jonathan Edwards

A Congregationalist preacher at a church in Northampton, Massachusetts, considered one of the greatest preachers of the Great Awakening who examined doctrines of salvation, predestination, God's grace, and visions of hell.

Benjamin Franklin

A scientist who gained international fame from his $1747-1752$ theory and kite experiment demonstrating that lightning and electricity were the same.

Lightning Rod

An invention resulting from Benjamin Franklin's research on grounding electricity, which reduced fires and damage to buildings during thunderstorms.

Cotton Mather

A theologian who learned about smallpox inoculation from Onesimus and promoted it during smallpox outbreaks until it became regular medical practice in America.

Onesimus

An enslaved person who taught Cotton Mather about smallpox inoculation, demonstrating how scientific knowledge spread from Africans to influential Americans.

Colonial Legal and Political Systems

Practices developed by colonists, including jury trials, press freedom, and local governments, which adopted essential elements from England's system while operating with significant independence.

Imperial Crisis

Growing tensions that developed in the 1760s when Britain attempted to tighten control over colonial governments that had grown accustomed to self-government.