2 Movements Questioned British Authority and stressed the importance of the individual  The Enlightenment  The Great Awakening

After reading, compare Edwards and Franklin. What kind of leaders were they? How did each man personify their particular movement?

 Emphasized a search for knowledge “Age of Reason”  Focus on scientific research  Importance of individual  People in colonies read John Locke  Theories helped insight revolution and gave basis for Constitution  Franklin – embodied the Enlightenment as a statesman, writer, inventor

Enlightenment ideas led colonists to question religion, looked for rational, scientific explanations for how universe worked. Changes in religious attitudes Puritans leaders worried that material values overtook spiritual values. Clergy wanted to bring people back to the church.

A revival of religion  Great Awakening was a religious revival movement  Jonathan Edwards, Puritan minister who preached about agonies sinners would suffer (Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God) – page 87

 Led to increase in church membership, but went away from traditional religion, formed new Protestant religions: Congregational Church, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian  One of first links uniting the colonies  Led to creation of several colleges

Strong family structure (even though families were split) Religion (many were Christian, also kept African beliefs) Slaves preserved music, food & dance traditions, which became part of American culture