English 231 - Week 3 Notes

The Great Awakening emphasized that every person could and must experience a direct relationship with God.
Salvation was not automatic through church membership or social status.
This movement caused a shift in religious authority.
It gave ordinary people the confidence to challenge traditional religious and political leaders.
It encouraged the belief in individual conscious reason and identity, shaping three visions of the American self.

This week's reading examines three foundational texts that reveal how American thought evolved during the eighteenth century.

Edwards emphasizes the absolute sovereignty of God and the utter helplessness of humankind without divine grace.
Edwards' sermon marks both the climax and the decline of the Puritan worldview.
Edwards warns his congregation that no amount of moral effort can save them; only God's mercy can.

Crèvecœur introduces the question, "What is an American?"
He describes America as a land of opportunity that blends cultures into a new man.
He contrasts the industrious, hopeful American with the oppressed European peasant.
Later letters take a darker turn, describing the horrors of slavery and the violence of frontier life.
Crèvecœur's optimistic tone in early letters helped shape the myth of America as a land of equality, prosperity, and transformation.
He also acknowledges the contradictions at the nation's core.
Quote to remember: "Here, individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men."
Consider Crèvecœur's vision of America and its implications.