BY Molly Franc, Alyssa Tufano, Nathan Chamberlain

 Religious toleration was common in America.  The Church of England was made as the faith in Virginia, Maryland, New York, the Carolinas and Georgia.  Dutch Reformed was their own Calvinist denomination that was created in New York and New Jersey by Dutch settlers.  By some Baptists were renamed Calvinists and some came to believe in salvation by free will.

 Protestants feared and hated the pope and extended toleration more than Roman Catholics.  Protestants viewed Catholics in New France (Canada) dangerous agents of Rome.  Catholics lost their rights in 1691 and were forbidden to hold religious services except in private homes.  Americans grew troubled that they would lose touch with their religion.

 The first great American revival of people’s faith was the Great Awakening in the 1730s.  The great Awakening appealed to women and younger sons of the 3 rd or 4 th generations of settlers.  Emphasized the potential for every person to have a new start with God.  Evangelists helped spread the revival.

 John and Charles Wesly founded Methodism.  Jonathan Edwards attacked new doctrines of easy salvation for all.  New light and Old light traditions were divided.

 Was the product of some of the great scientific and intellectual discoveries that was in Europe in the 17 th century.  Encouraged men and women to look inside themselves but not in God, for guidance to live their lives and shape society.  New emphasis on education and interest in politics and government.  The Enlightment ideas came from abroad from England and Scottland.

 Colonists placed a high value on education even though they faced a lot of challenges trying to access it.  Families tried to teach their own children to read and write but it took too much work.  In 1647 a law was passed that said every town was required to support a public school but some did not.

 Not many children got an education past the elementary level but white people were able to achieve a degree i n literacy.  At the time of the Revolution half of all white men could read and write. A rate that was higher than most European countries. African slaves did not have access to education.  Indians preferred to teach their children themselves.

 American had a large spread of scientific knowledge.  Leading merchants and planters had become members of the Royal Society of London.  A rumor was spread that people were purposefully getting people infected with small pox so they could test on them.  They were first successful in England to immunize people for chicken pox.

 Different jury system  Different laws