1. Second Great Awakening

2. What Was It? Burned-Over District New religious revivalism
Mostly in the rural areas of New England, Middle States, and Western areas of the U.S.
Camp-meetings --25, 000 at some gatherings
Energetic and emotional; based on revelation and faith conversion
Faith over reason
Very democratic in nature
Majority were women
slaves
working class
Spread by itinerant preachers
Burned-Over District

3. Second Great Awakening: Causes
Secularism of the American Revolution
Scientific attacks on religion: the Enlightenment
Poor church attendance
New England: attacks on Puritan pre-destination
Apparent absence of God in daily lives
Market Revolution: The New Materialism

4. The Intensity of SGA
1831
Camp Meetings
Abolitionist Meetings

5. Cane Ridge Revival (1801)
"The noise was like the roar of Niagara. The vast sea of human beings seemed to be agitated as if by a storm. I counted seven ministers, all preaching at one time, some on stumps, others in wagons and one standing on a tree which had, in falling, lodged against another. At one time I saw at least five hundred swept down in a moment as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them, and then immediately followed shrieks and shouts that rent the very heavens.
Kentucky Week long; 25,000 attendees
- James Finley, later a Methodist circuit rider

6. Why Did It Catch On? Upheaval caused by the market revolution
Expanding transportation network
Western expansion: Lack of religion
Expanding slave population
Economic uncertainty caused by Panics of 1819 & 1837
Expanding middle class

7. Second Great Awakening: A Comparison
First Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
God Granted Salvation
Sinful nature of humans
Incapacity to change behavior
“Fire and Brimstone”
Predestination
Spawned colleges
Individuals controlled salvation
Innate goodness of humanity
Rejected predestination
Capacity to change behavior
Stressed personal accountability
Spread and expanded religion
Emotional connection God
Also spawned colleges

8. George Finney Most prominent and dynamic
preacher of the Second Awakening
Began preaching in
1829 in Upper New York

9. Impact Dramatically increased church attendance Expanded Christianity
Baptists
Methodists
Provided for public participation for women: social outlet for middle class
Emphasized the importance of religion for slaves
Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the Indians and foreign nations
Emphasized the importance of missionary work amongst the Indians and foreign nations
Spawned reform movements: Attempts at perfection: individuals and society

10. Reform
Abolitionism

11. Reform
Temperance

12. Treatment of Mentally Ill
Reform
Treatment of Mentally Ill
Dorothea Dix

13. Reform
Prison Reform

14. Reform
Utopian Experiments

15. Reform
Education

16. Reform
Status of Women

17. Reform
Juvenile Crime

18. Reform
Diet & Nutrition