Key Concepts in American and Religious History: Magna Carta to Pentecostalism

Magna Carta

English document that limited power of king and established that the ruler was subject to the law; Introduced ideas of rule of law, due process, protection of individual rights; Laid the groundwork for constitutional government, influenced English and American legal traditions

English Bill of Rights

A document outlining rights of Parliament and English citizens after Glorious Revolution; Protected rights such as free elections, freedom from cruel punishment, limits on authority; Directly influenced US Bill of Rights

John Locke

Enlightenment philosopher who argued government exists to protect natural rights; Promoted natural rights (life, liberty property) and consent of the governed; Ideas shaped Declaration of Independence and American democracy

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, individual rights; Challenged absolute monarchy and traditional authority; Provided philosophical foundation for democratic revolutions

Great Awakening

Religious revival emphasizing emotional preaching and personal faith; Weakened traditional church authority and encouraged questioning of hierarchy; Fostered ideas of individual equality and resistance to authority

George Washington

Military leader of Continental Army and first US president; United colonies during Revolution and set precedents for presidency; Symbolized national unity and republican leadership

Thomas Jefferson

Principal author of Declaration of Independence; Articulated Enlightenment ideals of equality and natural rights; Shaped American political philosophy

Causes of the American Revolution

Political, economic, and ideological conflicts between Britain and colonies; Taxation without representation, British military presence, Enlightenment ideas; Led to independence and creation of a new nation

Declaration of Independence

Document announcing colonial independence from Britain; Justified rebellion using natural rights theory; Became a global statement for liberty and equality

Significance of the sea in the Revolutionary War

Naval power and control of waterways; French navy helped defeat Britain at Yorktown: trade and troop movement depended on sea routes; Foreign aid and naval warfare were crucial for victory

Constitutional Convention

Meeting to revise Articles of Confederation; Produced US Constitution; Created stronger federal government

Drafting

Process of creating documents (constitution)

Ratification

Receiving approval to make document officially valid and legally binding; 9/13 original states were required to ratify US Constitution

Federalists

Supported constitution, favored strong national government; Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, George Washington, John Adams

Anti-Federalists

Feared centralized power (believed it would be like monarchy), demanded protections for individual rights; Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, George Mason

The Federalist Papers

Essays defending the constitution; Explain republican government and separation of powers; Influenced ratification

The Constitution

Supreme law of US; Established federal system, checks and balances; Created democratic framework

The Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments; Protect individual liberties; Limited government power

The Indian Appropriations Act of 1851

Created Native American reservations; Forced relocation and loss of land; Institutionalized federal control over Native tribes

Homestead Act of 1862

Gave land to settlers who farmed it to encourage westward migration; Created/accelerated Native displacement

Land-Grant College Act of 1862 (Morrill Act)

Funded land-grant colleges and expanded higher education; Supported industrial and agricultural growth

Transcontinental Railroad 1869

Rail line connecting East and West; Boosted trade and settlement; Transformed economy and expansion

Turner's Theory of the American Frontier

Argued frontier shaped American democracy; Highlighted individualism and influenced historical thinking

The Spanish-American War

War between US and Spain; US became an imperial power; Treaty of Paris made Spain give Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines to US; Marked shift to overseas expansion

U.S. in the Philippines

American control after war; Violent resistance to US rule, Filipinos fought for independence

The Pilgrims (1620)

Separatists, wanted to separate entirely from Church of England; Wanted religious freedom to practice Christianity as they saw fit, believed each congregation should govern itself; Founded Plymouth Colony; Signed MayFlower Compact: early form of self-rule

The Puritans (1630)

English protestants who wanted to purify the Church of England rather than leave it; Beliefs: Calvinism, Predestination, strict moral code; Founded Massachusetts Bay Colony; Demonstrated early religious intolerance

John Winthrop

Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony; Puritan leader, known for "City Upon a Hill" sermon

City Upon a Hill sermon

Massachusetts Bay Colony was a special community chosen by God, tasked with being a moral example for the rest of world; Their success would show God's glory and prove their faith, failure would bring shame to God and themselves

Anne Hutchinson

Believed salvation came from faith alone, not good works; Tried and banished from Massachusetts; Had religious meetings in her home

Great Awakening (1730s-1740s)

A widespread Protestant revival emphasizing emotional, personal religious experience over formal church rituals

Calvinism

Predestination; God predetermines salvation

Fire and brimstone

Fear of damnation (emotional preaching) used to provoke repentance

George Whitefield

Calvinist itinerant preacher who spoke outdoors to massive crowds; Emphasized emotional conversion

Itinerant preacher

Traveling preacher

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

Unconverted sinners are in a dangerous state, with God's wrath constantly hanging over them, must convert to Christ

Second Great Awakening (1795-1835)

Emphasized free will instead of predestination; Focused on moral improvement and social reform; Abolition, feminism, education

Arminianism

God's sovereignty + human free will; God is sovereign, but humans have free will; People can choose salvation

Camp meeting

Large outdoor religious gatherings

The anxious bench

Public seat for sinners seeking salvation; Became focus of congregation's prayers; Can be step towards conversion

Burned-over district

Region of upstate New York with many revivals; Religious enthusiasm was said to be "burned out" because of so many revivals

Methodist Church

Grew rapidly on the frontier; Emphasized emotional preaching and personal salvation

Francis Asbury

Circuit rider, methodist itinerant missionary; Traveled over 300,000 miles

Peter Cartwright

Prominent circuit rider who emphasized emotion; Believed too much education was stifling to ministers

Circuit riders

Methodist ministers who made religion accessible to rural Americans

Baptist Church

Emphasized believer's baptism; Local church autonomy; Popular among working class Americans; Popular among African Americans

African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church)

First independent Black denomination; Combined Christianity with racial justice

Joseph Smith

Founded Mormonism; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Rise of mormonism led to persecution because of fears over mormon influence and polygamy, forcing migration to Utah

Pentecostalism

Emphasizes holy spirit, spiritual renewal and experience of God through baptism, speaking in tongues; Bible = inherent word of God

Mary Baker Eddy

Christian Science; Believe reality is purely spiritual, material world is an illusion; Sickness and sin can be overcome by praying, refuse medicine or treatment

Know-Nothing Party

Anti catholic group, opposed immigration and foreigners; Feared Irish and German Catholic immigration

KKK (2nd wave)

Targeted Catholics, Jews, immigrants, African Americans; Utilized violence and had large political influence

Modernism

Accepted science, evolution, biblical interpretation

Fundamentalism

Believed Bible was literally true

Social Gospel movement

Applying christian ethics to social problems such as poverty, labor, injustice; Salvation has to do with society, not individual

Higher criticism

Studied Bible as a historical text, analyzed as any other text

The Fundamentals

Essays defending 5 core Christian beliefs; Gave rise to religious fundamentalism (literal interpretation of bible)

Scopes Trial

Tennessee trial over teaching evolution in schools; Clear issue of modernists vs fundamentalists; Anti-evolutionists won but verdict was overturned

Establishment clause

1st amendment; gov may not establish official religion; Separation of church and state

Free exercise clause

1st amendment; prohibits gov from restricting a person's right to practice their religion

Wall of separation

Church and state; Thomas Jefferson

Incorporation doctrine

Applies BOR protections to the states via the 14th amendment; Ensures state governments cannot violate fundamental rights guaranteed by Constitution

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

School-wide prayer in public school violated establishment clause; Determined unconstitutional

Abington v. Schempp (1963)

School Bible readings ruled unconstitutional

Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022)

Football coach praying privately; Free exercise rights were violated when school disciplined him

Elizabeth Freeman (Mumbet)

Enslaved woman who sued for freedom; Result ended slavery in Massachusetts

Contraband

During Civil War, escaped enslaved people labeled "contraband"; Allowed Union Army to refuse return, giving legal pathway to freedom

Confiscation Acts

Federal laws allowing Union to seize property including enslaved people used to support Confederacy

Emancipation Proclamation

Executive order freeing enslaved people in Confederate states; Did not free Border States; Allowed African Americans to join Union Army

Border States

Slave states that remained loyal to the Union

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery everywhere in US

Reconstruction

Period after Civil War focused on rebuilding South and integrating formerly enslaved people; Failure led to Jim Crow

Sharecropping

Farmers worked land owned by whites in exchange for a share of crop; Kept African Americans economically dependent

Jim Crow

Laws and customs enforcing racial segregation and inequality

Segregation

Separation of races in everyday life in public spaces

Disenfranchisement

Legal methods used to deny African Americans the right to vote; Literacy tests; Poll taxes; Grandfather clauses

Plessy v. Ferguson

"Separate but equal"; Legalized segregation

Booker T. Washington

Advocated vocational education; Accepted segregation temporarily

W.E.B. DuBois

Demanded immediate equality; Did not appeal to white leaders

Great Migration

Mass movement of African Americans from South to Northern and Western cities

Double V Campaign

Victory over fascism abroad and racism at home

Executive Order 8802

Banned racial discrimination in defense industries

Tuskegee Airmen

First African American military pilots