XIV. The American Enlightenment A.. Ideas Start in Europe B. Ideas Challenge Reformation 1. God gave man intellect 2. Above Animals C. Enlightenment or Age of Reason D. Rationalization Key word 1. Human mind can solve all problems 2. Voltaire( ) father of the Enlightenment a. Exiled to England after Glorious Revolution b. Saw events from French point of view i. Confusus & bureaucracy vs. heredity c. limited king in evil but allowed to do good 3. Isaac Newton Principia Mathematica (1687) a. laws of gravity 4. John Locke, English philosopher a. Essay Concerning Human Understanding

b. Tabula Rasa theory c. society could change d. people could better society e. ideas are acquired by investigation E. American Enlightened Thinkers 1. Benjamin Franklin a. published Poor Richard's Almanac b. scientist i. pot bellied stove ii. bifocals iii. Experiments and Observations on Electricity (1751) c. established the first abolition society in U.S Cotton Mather, Boston clergyman a. noted effects of inoculation b. 15% victims died c. 3% of inoculated victims died d. urged congregation to

F. Enlightenment and Religion 1. Believed best evidence of God was Harmony of Nature a. God is rational 2. If Bible conflicts with reason, Reason should be followed 3. Deism - Once God created world he no longer interfered a. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin both Deists G. Religious Reaction 1. Ministers felt threatened 2. People profess Christianity but believed in Rationalism a. disbelieve religious fanatics H. The First Great Awakening 1720s & 1730s 1. Congregational minister Jonathan Edwards a Northampton, Massachusetts b. revivals c. Diphtheria Epidemic 1/10 children  16 N.H-Penn. d "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

2. George Whitfield a. fiend of Wesleys in seminary b. crossed social boundaries c. 30,000 at one revival d. signs and wonders, healings e. membership increases (in a Conn. church 630 to 3,217) f. after revival 1/5 of all colonists are born again 3. John and Charles Wesley a. prayer groups in seminary b. in colonies led revival c. noticed lack of ministers d. filled need rather than follow Anglican Church policy e. break from Anglicans to start Methodist Church 4. Division of "Old" and "New" light churches a. ministers with no spirit b. churches split and ministers left denominations

5. Colonists start questioning authority a. Baptists in New England separate from Congregationalist b. Congregationalist supported by taxes in Conn. and Mass. c. "Old" light refused "New" lights to start d. Taxes and Tithes still go to "Old" light churches e. Forbid revivalists to preach i. Conn. pass laws against them preaching and marrying ii. Windham County, Conn. builds 2 story jail a. Elisha Paine gave sermons from cell b. people built bleachers outside to hear him 6. Afro-Americans encouraged in "New" light churches a. some believe they had no soul b. New lighters cross social boundaries. i. Richard Allen rode Methodist circuit ii. formed AME church 1787

7. New Universities a. Before Harvard 1636, William&Marry 1693 & Yale 1701 b. Presbyterians - College of New Jersey 1747 (Princeton) c. Baptists - College of Rhode Island 1764 (Brown) d. Dutch Reformed - Queen's College 1766 (Rutgers) e. Eleazar Wheelock 1769 Dartmouth College i. trains missionaries to Native Americans f. Anglicans - King's College 1757 (Columbia) g. College of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania) i. 1st non-denominational college allows any male entry 8. New light preachers a. Tolerated one another b. Preached in each others churches only requirement was a belief in Jesus and repentance 9. Questioning Authority & Rights, helps to start revolution