What Was the Great Awakening

The Great Awakening was basically a movement that changed the way religion was practiced in America. The American society was influenced greatly with changes which took place during the period of Great Awakening (the 1730s and 1740s). The 1730s and 1740s were the decades in which First Great Awakening took place. The 1800s was the period of Second Great Awakening. The First Great Awakening is given a greater importance than the second one; this is because the First Great Awakening was a direct opposition to the established customs, practices and rituals. The Second Great Awakening was about reaching out to the unchurched and spreading awareness. It is always difficult to bring about changes in an established system than teaching a particular thing for the first time. An attempt to find out what was the Great Awakening in America and what were its effects/influence on the society is made in this write-up.

What Was the Great Awakening About?

Signs of the Great Awakening were observed when scientific theories began to influence the society. With scientific developments taking place at a rapid place, people believed less in destiny and more in their ability to make a difference to their lives. With the publication of Newton's 'Principia Mathematica' and other scientific theories, people began to realize that their destiny was in their hands and not controlled by any other entity/phenomenon in the world. Similar incidences were witnessed and which gave a boost to the great awakening of the mid-1700s.

First Great Awakening
The period of First Great Awakening spanned between 1734 and 1750. It was an important phase in the history of America and the world as a whole. George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards were the prominent personalities who played an important role in bringing about awakening in people of America. The modernists proved the futility of rituals which were imposed on the society by traditionalists. African slaves were allowed to practice religion and there was an air of equality that changed the face of American society. It was a beginning that led the society towards liberal and free America. Initially, the society was divided into revivalists and traditionalists over this change. To obtain the details about the Great Awakening, let us understand more about the works of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield.

George Whitefield
He attracted large crowds in his meetings. The oratory skills of George Whitefield also helped him in spreading his thoughts. According to George Whitefield, one should repent his/her sins and shed the fear of damnation. He believed that God was merciful and therefore, one should not lead the life under constant fear. His oratory techniques were copied by many people for the purpose of preaching. Since, George Whitefield traveled all over Europe and North America, he was also known as the 'Great Itinerant'.

Jonathan Edwards
He played an important role in initiating the process of revival during the period of Great Awakening. Jonathan Edwards was a Congregationalist minister from Northampton, Massachusetts. He promoted the importance of personal and immediate religious experience.

Second Great Awakening
The Arminianism is the base core of the ideology which brought about the Second Great Awakening. The period of this awakening was that of the 19th century. One of the important tenets of Arminianism states that salvation is possible only by God's grace. John Wesley and Hugo Grotius were amongst the others who contributed to the development of Arminian theology.

The period of Great Awakening was significant in the American history owing to the major sociopolitical changes that were brought about. The importance of church and clergies was reduced to a great extent. Individual religious practice was given greater importance. All these changes played an important part in uniting the American colonies.