Great Awakening Vocab incomplete

Jonathan Edwards when

When: He was active in the early to mid-18th century, particularly during the 1730s and 1740s.

Jonathan Edwards where

Where: He was based in colonial New England, particularly Northampton, Massachusetts.

Jonathan Edwards why

Why important: He was a key figure in the First Great Awakening, a religious revival that emphasized emotional faith and individual salvation. His famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," exemplified his fire-and-brimstone style, which had a lasting impact on American Protestantism.

George Whitefield when

When: George Whitefield was most active during the 1730s and 1740s.

George Whitefield where

Where: He traveled extensively throughout the American colonies, especially in New England, and preached in England as well.

George Whitefield why

Why important: He was a central figure in the First Great Awakening, known for his powerful oratory and ability to draw large crowds. His sermons helped spread evangelicalism and unify the colonies through shared religious experiences.

Gilbert Tenant When

When: was active during the 1730s and 1740s.

Gilbert Tenant Where

Where: He preached primarily in the Middle Colonies, especially Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Gilbert Tenant why

Why: This Great Awakening minister led the "New Light" (evangelical) party within the growing Presbyterian communities of New Jersey and New York. impact on the separation between "New Lights" and "Old Lights."

New Lights When

When: They emerged during the First Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s.

New Lights where

Where: They were most prominent in the American colonies, particularly in regions such as New England and the Middle Colonies.

New Lights Why

Why important: They were evangelical supporters of the Great Awakening who emphasized personal religious experience over traditional, institutional practices. Their revivalist movement led to the founding of new denominations, increased church attendance, and educational institutions like Princeton, ultimately challenging established church authority and reshaping American Protestantism.

Old Lights when

When: They became prominent in the 1730s and 1740s during the First Great Awakening.

Old Lights where

Where: They were most active in the American colonies, particularly in New England and the Middle Colonies.

Old Lights why

Why important: They opposed the emotional and revivalist preaching of the Great Awakening, favoring a more traditional, intellectual approach to religion. They resisted the evangelical fervor of the New Lights, leading to splits in congregations and a lasting division within American Protestantism.

Samuel Davies

When: Samuel Davies was active during the mid-18th century, particularly in the 1740s and 1750s.

Where: He preached in the southern American colonies, especially Virginia.

Why important: Davies played a significant role in the Great Awakening by leading southern revivals and spreading evangelical Presbyterianism. His work helped reach unchurched settlers in the backcountry, contributing to the growth of religious dissent in the South and laying the groundwork for religious freedom in America.

Religion and Politics

When: During the 1730s to 1760s, particularly leading up to the American Revolution.

Where: Throughout the American colonies, with significant influence in New England and the Middle Colonies.

Why important: The Great Awakening linked religion to politics by providing moral justification for resistance against British rule. Evangelical ministers, such as Jonathan Mayhew, argued that civil and religious liberty were ordained by God, encouraging colonial resistance to tyranny and promoting the idea that opposition to Britain was a righteous cause, which helped fuel revolutionary sentiments.

Jonathan Mayhew

When: Jonathan Mayhew was active during the mid-18th century, particularly in the 1740s and 1750s.

Where: He was based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Why important: Mayhew was a prominent preacher during the Great Awakening who strongly advocated for the idea that resistance to oppressive rulers was a moral duty ordained by God. His sermons helped link religious beliefs with political resistance, influencing colonial attitudes toward British rule and contributing to the ideological foundation of the American Revolution.

Abraham Keteltas

When: Abraham Keteltas was active during the 18th century, particularly in the 1770s.

Where: He was a minister in New England, notably in New York.

Why important: Keteltas was a New England Presbyterian minister who supported the American revolutionary cause, framing it as a struggle between truth and falsehood, and good versus evil. His sermons contributed to the revolutionary spirit by portraying the fight for independence as a divinely sanctioned struggle, reinforcing the moral and religious justification for resisting British rule.

Peter Muhlenberg

When: Peter Muhlenberg was active during the American Revolutionary War, particularly from 1775 to 1783.

Where: He served in Virginia.

Why important: Muhlenberg, known as the "Fighting Parson," famously revealed his military uniform during a sermon to enlist in the Continental Army. His leadership and military service exemplified the blend of religious conviction and patriotism, making him a notable figure in both religious and revolutionary circles.

James Caldwell

When: James Caldwell was active during the American Revolutionary War, particularly in the early 1770s to 1780.

Where: He served primarily in New Jersey.

Why important: Known as "The Chaplain," Caldwell supported the revolutionary cause by serving as a military chaplain and famously using hymnals as wadding for muskets during battle. His dedication to both faith and country highlighted the role of clergy in the revolution and the intertwining of religion and patriotism.

Isaac Watts Hymnals

When: Isaac Watts' hymnals were widely used in the 18th century, including during the Revolutionary War.

Where: They were used throughout the American colonies.

Why important: Isaac Watts' hymnals were influential in American religious life, providing the texts that James Caldwell famously used as makeshift ammunition. Watts' hymns played a role in shaping religious expression and bolstering the morale of revolutionary troops.

John Witherspoon

When: John Witherspoon was active during the late 18th century, particularly in the 1770s and 1780s.

Where: He was based in New Jersey and served in the Continental Congress.

Why important: Witherspoon, the "Most Important Political Parson," was a key figure in American politics, signing the Declaration of Independence and influencing the development of early American political thought. His leadership as president of Princeton and his role in the Continental Congress emphasized the impact of religious leaders on American governance.

Great Awakening Effects

When: The Great Awakening had effects throughout the mid-18th century, influencing events up to the American Revolution

.Where: The effects were felt across the American colonies.

Why important: The Great Awakening had profound impacts on American society, weakening established churches, fostering new religious denominations, and influencing political thought by connecting religious revival to political resistance. It played a significant role in shaping American religious and political landscapes.

Thomas Hobbes

When: Hobbes wrote Leviathan in 1651.

Where: His ideas were influential in England and beyond.

Why important: Hobbes' Leviathan introduced the concept of a social contract where individuals cede absolute power to a sovereign to avoid chaos. His ideas about government and human nature influenced later political theories and revolutions.

John Locke

When: John Locke published Two Treatises of Government in 1689.

Where: His ideas originated in England but had a global impact.

Why important: Locke's Two Treatises of Government argued for the protection of natural rights and the right to overthrow unjust rulers. His theories on government and individual rights significantly influenced the American and French revolutions.

Enlightenment Characteristics

When: The Enlightenment spanned the 17th and 18th centuries.

Where: The movement originated in Europe, especially in France, Britain, and Germany.

Why important: Enlightenment thinkers promoted rationalism, the idea of natural laws, and critical questioning of traditional institutions. These principles shaped modern Western political and philosophical thought, influencing revolutionary movements and democratic ideas.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

When: Rousseau published The Social Contract in 1762.

Where: His ideas spread from France to the broader European and American contexts.

Why important: Rousseau's concept of the social contract and his ideas on popular sovereignty and education in Emile impacted revolutionary thought and democratic theory, advocating for government by the people and critical reforms in education.

Denis Diderot

When: Denis Diderot edited the Encyclopedia from 1751 to 1780.

Where: The work was published in France but had international influence.

Why important: The Encyclopedia sought to compile and disseminate knowledge, challenging traditional beliefs and promoting Enlightenment ideas. It became a key vehicle for spreading revolutionary and reformist ideas across Europe.

Voltaire

When: Voltaire wrote Philosophical Letters in 1733 and Candide in 1759.

Where: His works were influential in France and beyond.

Why important: Voltaire's critiques of established institutions and his advocacy for religious tolerance and political reform in Philosophical Letters and Candide highlighted Enlightenment ideals and inspired revolutionary thought.

Baron de Montesquieu

When: Montesquieu published The Spirit of the Laws in 1748.

Where: His ideas were influential across Europe and the American colonies.

Why important: Montesquieu's work on the separation of powers and checks and balances influenced the development of modern democratic governments, including the U.S. Constitution, by advocating for the division of government into distinct branches.

Enlightened Despotism

When: Enlightened despotism was prominent in the late 17th and 18th centuries.

Where: It was practiced by monarchs in Europe, such as Frederick the Great of Prussia.

Why important: Enlightened despotism involved absolute rulers implementing reforms inspired by Enlightenment principles, such as legal and educational improvements, while maintaining their power. This approach showed the impact of Enlightenment ideas on governance, even in autocratic regimes.

Immanuel Kant - Dare to Know!

When: Immanuel Kant's Enlightenment ideas were articulated in the late 18th century.

Where: Kant was based in Germany.

Why important: Kant's call to "Dare to Know!" emphasized the use of reason and individual intellectual freedom, which became central to Enlightenment thought and influenced the development of modern philosophy and democratic ideals.

Adam Smith

When: Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations in 1776.

Where: His ideas originated in Scotland but had global impact.

Why important: Smith's The Wealth of Nations laid the foundation for modern economics by advocating for free markets and the invisible hand of self-regulation, significantly influencing economic theory and policy.

Cesare Beccaria

When: Cesare Beccaria published On Crimes and Punishments in 1764.

Where: His ideas were influential in Italy and across Europe.

Why important: Beccaria's work argued for criminal justice reform and the abolition of torture and the death penalty, influencing modern legal and penal systems with his advocacy for fair and humane treatment.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

When: Jefferson and Adams were active during the late 18th century, notably around the time of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Where: Their influence was centered in the American colonies and later the United States.

Why important: Jefferson and Adams were key figures in drafting and promoting the Declaration of Independence, articulating the principles of individual rights and self-government that became foundational to American democracy.

James Madison and Alexander Hamilton

When: Madison and Hamilton were instrumental in the late 18th century, especially during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.

Where: Their work influenced the formation of the United States government.

Why important: Madison and Hamilton played crucial roles in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution, with Madison's Federalist Papers and Hamilton's contributions shaping the structure of American government and the principles of federalism.