Chapter 3 US History

Great Awakening

Puritanism had declined by the late 1730's. This was a movement characterized by fervent expressions of religious feeling among the people. Think of it as a religious revival....

Jonathan Edwards/ "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

He believed each individual must be saved through God's grace through repentance. He was well know for his fire and brimstone preaching in the Great Awakening, talking about everyone being a sinner and God being mad.

George Whitefield

He was known for delivering sermons that stressed God's omnipotence. Although he did not give the famous "Sinners" sermon, he preached similar doctrine, including the idea that ordinary people with faith and sincerity could understand the gospel without ministers.

"Old Lights" vs. "New Lights"

These were names given to those who supported the teachings of the Great Awakening and those who condemned it.

the Zenger Case

Although it did not guarantee freedom of press, it encouraged newspapers to take greater risks in criticizing a colony's government.

Enlightenment

This European movement believed in the use of human reasoning instead of religion to solve humanity's problems. Many of the ideas that emerged from this movement were the basis for the American Revolution and constitution.

John Locke

He wrote that all human beings have a right to the "natural gifts" of life, liberty, and property and that governments exist to protect those rights. He wrote Two Treaties of Government and assured that sovereignty (who has the power) ultimately resides with the people not the state (government), and that people had the right to overthrow government that did not protect their rights.

Town Meetings

This was the means of communication within local government in the New England colonies, where religious, white, male property owners would gather to directly vote on public issues.