US History

U.S. History Study Guide

of human nature, and the need for immediate repentance or they would face the hell fires. A few revivalists like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, stressed that believers must rely on their own principles to get a true understanding of religious truth. Jonathan Edwards gave a famous sermon called “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” in which he stated man must save himself by repenting his sins immediately. The Great Awakening is also recognized for creating equality in religion because revivalist ministers said anyone who repents can be saved by God, not just the leading members of the colonial churches. The First Great Awakening appealed to all classes and groups, including the poor, slaves, and Native Americans. The Great Awakening divided American Protestants, the revivalists, or “New Lights,” against the “Old Lights” the established ministers happy with the status quo. This division resulted in the formation of many new religious congregations and sects, and the founding of universities such as Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth to support revivalist teachings. Significance • Created equality amongst parishioners and added new members such as the poor, slaves, and Native Americans who were not permitted before (although still not equal) • It challenged authority, especially in the New England area and can be pointed at as one of the first acts of dissidence towards authority in the colonies, prior to the American Revolution • It created many Ivy League Universities 4.12 Colonial Culture The New England Colonies The New England colonies included modern day Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. New England’s economy was centered on small farming, fishing, sea trade and shipbuilding. One of their most profitable trading practices of the time was the “triangular trade.” Traders would purchase slaves off the coast of Africa for New England rum, and then sell the slaves in the West Indies, where they would buy molasses to bring home for sale to the local rum producers. Life was fairly stable for New Englanders, Puritan communities were very close, and because all were supposed to be religious they were expected to read the Bible, placing great emphasis on education. New England was the most literate community in the colonies with the growth of school systems. The Pilgrims and Puritans had brought their own libraries and imported books from London. By 1680, Boston was producing books on classical literature, history, politics, philosophy, science, and theology throughout the colonies.

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