The American Pageant: Chapter 15

Religion under the Founding FathersBefore the reform and revival, 3/4ths of

Americans attended church in 1850. During the Revolution, Thomas Paine’s “The

Age of Reason” shot down churches by saying they were trying to enslave and terrorize and monopolize power.

Founding Fathers were deists or people that believed God created a mechanical world. The world was running itself without God’s

intervention. Deists also believed that God gave humans the

capacity to have moral behavior.

UnitariansBelieved in God as one person rather than

the Trinity Stressed the goodness of people’s behavior

versus the vileness. Free will and salvation by good works. God was a loving Father, not a stern Creator. Against predestination and Calvinism

RevivalismStarted in the south spread to the northeast eventually

Second Great Awakening – a wave of spiritual fervor church reorganization

passionate evangelicalism new sects prison reform, temperance cause, women’s movement,

abolitionism

Huge camp meetings spread the Awakening to the masses several days where gospel was served up by a preacher dancing, barkingmany saved went back to sinful ways later boosted church membership Some even were moved to do missionary work

Methodist Revival 1839

Methodists and BaptistsPersonal conversion (versus predestination)

democratic control of church affairs emotionalism Peter Cartwright

Travelling frontier preacher – Methodist Called upon sinners to repent Converted thousands would physically beat up people that tried to crash

his meetings Charles Grandison Finney

Was a lawyer, left bar to become evangelist Rochester and NYC encouraged women to pray aloud Against alcohol and slavery

Cartwright and Finney

Millerites (Adventists)Commanded by William Miller Interpreted the Bible as saying Christ would

return to earth on October 22, 1844 Gathered in prayerful assemblies to greet

Christ Jesus failing to appear caused some to lose

heart but it didn’t destroy the movement.

MormonismJoseph Smithadvocated cooperation versus individualism

and free enterprise which the high ranking Americans did not like.

Made people angry by voting as a unit and drilling militia for defensive purposed.

Mormon Moses – Brigham Young led the Mormons into Utah while singing “Come, Come Ye Saints”

PolygamyStatehood in Utah in 1896

Women and the Church

Middle class women and daughters and wives of businessmen were the first to jump into the revivalism

Majority of new church members Most likely to stick with their faith Women were apprehensive of the changes and

more likely to be converted Women were given role of bringing family and

husband back to God

Revivalism and divisionConservative denominations in the East were

not affected much. The wealthy educated took on

Presbyterianism, Episcopalism, Congregationalism, and Unitarianism

The less fortunate took on Methodism and Baptists. (rural south and west)

Slavery divided religions into regions

EducationAvailable for all whites

Women rarely achieved higher educationHorace Mann – reforms for educationUniversities –

established to show local pridemany based on teaching religion

Noah Webster Improved textbooks Reading lessons were used to promote patriotism as

well as teach reading Published Webster’s dictionary in 1828.

William H. McGuffey Published grade school readers these readers promoted morality, patriotism, and

idealism