Second Great Awakening

Definition

The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival movement that swept through the United States during the early 19th century, emphasizing personal piety, social reform, and the democratization of religion. This movement encouraged individuals to seek personal connections with God, leading to increased participation in church activities and a surge in various reform movements such as abolitionism and women's rights.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Second Great Awakening occurred primarily between the 1790s and the 1840s, transforming American religious life.
2. It emphasized emotional experiences in worship, often encouraging congregants to have personal spiritual awakenings.
3. The movement led to the growth of new denominations such as the Baptists and Methodists, who embraced more democratic and accessible forms of worship.
4. The Second Great Awakening played a significant role in inspiring numerous social reform movements, including those advocating for abolition and women's suffrage.
5. Key figures such as Charles Finney and Lyman Beecher emerged during this time, promoting revivalist meetings and emphasizing moral responsibility in society.

Review Questions

• How did the Second Great Awakening influence individual spirituality and community involvement in America?
  • The Second Great Awakening had a profound impact on individual spirituality by encouraging personal connections with God through emotional experiences during worship. This newfound emphasis on personal piety led many to actively participate in their communities through church activities and social reform initiatives. As individuals sought personal renewal, they also engaged with broader societal issues, spurring movements like abolitionism and women's rights.
• Evaluate the significance of camp meetings within the context of the Second Great Awakening's revivalist efforts.
  • Camp meetings were significant in the Second Great Awakening as they served as vibrant centers for revivalist activity. These large outdoor gatherings brought together diverse groups of people who participated in emotional preaching, singing, and communal worship. They facilitated a sense of belonging and community while spreading revivalist fervor across different regions, thereby increasing membership in various religious denominations and reinforcing social reforms.
• Analyze how Transcendentalism emerged as a response to the ideals presented during the Second Great Awakening and its impact on American thought.
  • Transcendentalism emerged in part as a response to the emotional fervor and democratic spirit fostered by the Second Great Awakening. While both movements emphasized individual experience and intuition, Transcendentalists sought to explore deeper philosophical questions about nature, humanity, and spirituality beyond traditional religious boundaries. This philosophical movement significantly influenced American thought by promoting ideas of self-reliance and individualism, paralleling social reforms inspired by the revivalist energy of the Second Great Awakening.

Related terms

Camp Meetings: Large gatherings held outdoors where people would come together for revivalist preaching, singing, and fellowship, serving as a key feature of the Second Great Awakening.

Transcendentalism:

A philosophical movement that emerged in the early 19th century, advocating for self-reliance, individual intuition, and the inherent goodness of people and nature, often influenced by the spiritual fervor of the Second Great Awakening.

Social Reform Movements: Various movements aimed at improving society during the 19th century, such as abolitionism, temperance, and women's rights, which were inspired by the revivalist spirit of the Second Great Awakening.