Describe (1) the causes and results of the Great Awakening, (2) the features of colonial politics as it led to the development of American democracy, and (3) how the Great Awakening and the development of democracy are linked together. 

The Great Awakening was caused by the redundant message delivered by the church of damnation.  This resulted in parishioners being able to think for themselves.  This new found thought began to change the politics adopted from the Old World in which the people were given some power.  As result, the Great Awakening is directly related to the idea of democracy.

In the beginning of the eighteenth century, the religious attitude in the colonies was that of the archaic religious institutions, focusing on divine predestination and the horrors of damnation. This all changed with the Great Awakening, a period of unprecedented religious upheaval. It occurred due to two reasons: the belief that one could make life meaningful or savable through good works toward God and the new found focus on the individual. A transformation of some power from the church to the individual allowed people to think for themselves for the first time. This new era was brought forth by the Jonathon Edwards affirmed belief that salvation through goods works was not the answer. He believed that one must have complete dependence on God’s grace, which was exhibited in his work Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Along with Edwards came more wonderful orators with commanding presences, the new preachers who aimed at the people’s hearts rather than just their minds.

Colonial politics at this time were beginning to change from the ways of the old. New innovations allowed for some headway in creating what would become a democracy, but the crown was still the predominant force. The structure of the colonies included a governor and a two house legislature. The king appointed eight of the governors and the upper house, but the other five governors and the lower house were decided upon by the people who had the opportunity to vote. This structure is representative of the executive and legislative branches of the modern checks and balances found in America. Although this included white males who owned land, the stage was being set for allowing the people to control the manner with which their government was run and who would control it. Giving the people some power would evolve into the eventual possession of freedom brought forth through democracy.

The link between the Great Awakening and the development of structured politics was the emphasis placed on the individual. No longer was the crown the only domineering force; individuals were allowed to not only think for themselves, but act on them as well. The Great Awakening invigorated the people to feel important and meaningful in life. And the structure of the political system, which was the foundation for what would become democracy gave the individual a significance they hadn’t had before. People were not the pawns of the king anymore, as the transformation of power from one hand to the other gave the colonists the liberty of freedom. Not complete freedom, and not even for anyone except land owning white males, but the idea of possessing a significant role in society signaled the beginning of the change from monarchy to democracy.

The Great Awakening and the political systems in the colonies were linked together because of events that would happen later in the future.  Both of these brought revolutionary ideas that would help Americans desire for freedom from British rule.

In the early eighteenth century religion was less enthusiastic than before.  Churchgoers complained about the boring sermons.  Also ministers worried that Calvinism no longer greatly affected the people going to church.  The Calvinist doctrines of predestination were threatened by the new Arminius doctrines.  These explain how individual free will determined one’s eternal fate.  The boredom of churchgoers and the new ideas caused a religious revival to take place.  This religious revival, known as the Great Awakening brought forth innovative ideas to the religion of America.  Jonathon Edwards was a pastor who preached about how a person needs to depend on God’s grace for salvation.  He also described what Hell would be like to his audiences in vivid and horrifying detail.  Following Edwards came George Whitefield, another pastor who revolutionized the religion of America.  He spoke of how humans were powerless and could only be saved by a divine power.  Whitefield was a magnificent speaker who greatly contributed to the Great Awakening. 

            The Great Awakening greatly affected America.  Many people, including black slaves and Indians, listened to the powerful sermons.  This contributed to the feeling of union in America.  Schools and colleges were created because of the want for higher learning.   

            The political systems of the American colonies were a beginning to the future democracy of the United States of America.  In 1775, eight colonies had king-appointed governors.  Three colonies had proprietors who choose the governor for the colony. The other two were allowed to elect their own governors.  Almost every colony had a two-house legislative body.  The upper house was chosen either by the king, the proprietor, or by the people themselves, according to the way their governors were chosen.  The people who had enough property to be a voter chose the lower house.  These legislations allowed the people to vote for the taxes that they wanted.  This idea of self-taxation through representation was very important to the people of America.  Most of the governors were good men, but the colonists were able to manipulate their governors if they were not doing what the colonists wished. 

            The Great Awakening and the colonial politics were linked together in one major way; they both contributed to the future feelings of revolution.  The Great Awakening was in itself a revolutionary act.  An old religion was changed into a religion that better fit the ideas of Americans.  Since Americans knew they could revolutionize their church, they would then know that they could revolutionize their politics.  The political system in America gave Americans a great love for certain practices of democracy, such as that of voting for what the colonies wanted.  If this were later taken away, or hindered, it would also bring about a want to revolutionize the political system.  The Great Awakening and the politics of the colonies were also connected since they were both steps away from England and their practices.            

Although the Puritan Church had tried in the past to attract more members by allowing more liberal membership requirements, the Great Awakening actually occurred when they not only returned to their strict Calvinist beliefs, but also added charismatic preaching to their worship services. The leaders of the Great Awakening were John Edwards and George Whitefield, both of whom were intense orators who could arouse such strong emotions that they could bring people to tears with the simplest of words. The result of the Great Awakening was intense religious fervor and an emphasis on “direct, emotive spirituality.” (95) The movement also led to a new wave of missionary work among slaves and Native Americans, in addition to the establishment of centers for higher learning such as Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, and Dartmouth. The Great Awakening became the first movement that truly brought Americans together and made them realize that they were a single people united by a common history and experiences.

            Colonial politics among most of the colonies featured a two-house legislative body.  Although under the rule of England, Connecticut and Rhode Island were allowed to elect their own governors. Americans came to cherish self-taxation through representation more than other English territories.  Most of the governors appointed by the Crown were good men, but some were intolerably bad.  The worst was Lord Cornbury.  Among his many horrible acts, he once appeared in public dressed as a woman. Because England was so far away, the governors often had trouble enforcing the law, and the colonial legislatures found different ways to get what they wanted. They would sometimes withhold the governor’s income until he gave in to their demands, an action that usually worked because the governors had no other means of receiving their salaries. The British government had exercised poor administration by allowing the colonies’ legislatures to control the bank.  This proved to be an irritant to the colonists, which helped to create a spirit of revolt. In New England, town-meeting government was predominant and this open forum allowed democracy to function at its best. “Americans learned to cherish their privileges and exercise their duties as citizens of the New World commonwealths.” (100) In the Southern colonies, county government ruled and the Middle colonies combined the practices of New England and Southern government. Although by the time of the revolution America was not a complete democracy, its “democratic ideals of tolerance, educational advantages, equality of economic opportunity, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and representative government,” (100) were setting the stage for one.

            The Great Awakening and the development of democracy both demonstrate the colonists’ desire to self-rule.  Rather than rebel against rules and restrictions imposed by England, the colonists more or less manipulated the system to achieve their own advantages.  Because the British governors were really no more than figureheads, the colonists were generally exercising self rule.  The Puritans imposed a rigid doctrine upon themselves, however, it attracted more converts than it pushed away, because it appealed to their desire for a more zealous spiritual life.  The newfound spiritual awakening and the political freedom contributed to the development of democracy in the colonies.

The Great Awakening was caused by many different instances in the New World.  Two main ideas were formulated to cause what we call the Great Awakening.  The liberal idea that humans were not pre-destined to a life of eternal damnation, and good save themselves through good deeds emerged.  Another major idea that was developing was that individual free will and not divine decree determined a person’s eternal fate.  The movement of the Great Awakening began in Massachusetts.  It was based on the belief that good works lead to salvation.  This was not the answer however, but rather being dependent in god’s grace would lead one to salvation.  Many evangelical preaching followed this drastic change in belief.  It included revivals with people being saved and converted.  There were also a lot of “holy roller” preachers.  The increase of true emotion within religious preaching led to the creation of the Baptist faith.  It also created a schism within the Presbyterian and congressionalist churches.  The Great Awakening was the very first spontaneous mass movement of American people united after a very common history and shared experiences.

The political structure in early America was quite innovative.  There were thirteen colonies: Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia.  Each of the colonies had a governor.  Eight were appointed by the King, and three were under proprietors who chose the governors, and two who elected their own.  These two were Connecticut and Rhode Island.  Almost each colony had a two house legislative body.  The upper house was chosen by the crown and the lower body was chosen by voters of their own people (only free, white, land owning men).  The Structures of the government in each colony differed.  In the south a county government existed.  In New England town meetings were held instead.  In the middle colonies, a mixture of both methods was used.  The town meeting method, used by the New England colonies, involved open discussion and open voting.  This began the direct democracy that worked.   

The great awakening and the development of democracy were both extremely innovative ideas, formulated by the Americans.  The world had never seen a government such as democracy, where the outcome of all the laws depended on the people, instead of a tyrannical ruler.  The great awakening was the first time was a spontaneous mass movement of American people was united after a very common history and shared experiences.  The great awakening led to the development of American democracy in more ways than one.  The spirit of what America was and was going to develop into was set by the great awakening.  The concept of freedom of ideas and speech was developed during the great awakening.  During this time, the thoughts and ideas of the common person were valued.  This contributed greatly to the idea of democracy in America.  Without the innovative thoughts of enveloping the common person into governmental issues, democracy would not exist in America today.

 The Great Awakening: An American Rebirth
                The Great Awakening was, essentially the American Enlightenment.  It was a religious and philosophical movement that challenged people to emphasize the value of each and every human being, as he or she related to a religious life.  It was promoted by such preachers as Jonathan Edwards in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.  This movement, however, had a lasting impact on the way in which American democracy was revolutionized and put into practice, and the ways in which politics were pursued. 

                The Great Awakening was a religious revival movement that swept Europe, and slowly, with the help of immigration, was brought to the United States.  It was based on the need to value each human being, and the rights that he or she should be allowed to have.  Its purpose was to reinforce the ideals which were passed on during the Age of Enlightenment in Europe.  English philosophers published works on the subjects related to the matter of free will and self-accountability.  As it moved more toward the United States, The Great Awakening became more of a Calvinist issue.  Americans began to alter their religious preferences, in accordance to the ideas given to them through the Great Awakening.  They began to believe in God’s grace and religious piety, as well as free will, rather than predestination by God. 

The Great Awakening had tremendous, lasting effects on America.  It changed the democratic form of government, caused people to reach out to the Natives, and set up refuges for them.  It also sparked the beginning of a call for collegiate ventures.  Such universities as Princeton, Dartmouth, and Rutgers were established during this time.  The most noteworthy alteration, however, was that Americans began to feel more united as a people in their beliefs, culture and lifestyle.  It broke down religious barriers, and caused Americans to be more confident in themselves, as a true nation under God.

Prior to the Great Awakening, America was an imperialistic venture as sought after by Great Britain.  It was ruled by the Monarchy from afar, which was accepted by some and loathed by others.  It was a cultural mixture of many races from Europe as well as Africa.  It was a land that accepted others, and was known as being the land of opportunity, because of its equality amongst everyone, (except, of course, for African slaves.)The country, however, had a foreseeable revolution in its future. 

  The Great Awakening implies that there was a profound awakening from an unhealthy rest.  This rest was colonialism, and the negative impact that it was having on the Americans.  The awakening, however, caused Americans of the eighteenth century to literally wake up from a fairy-tale-like “slumber.”  The Great Awakening brought about an immense change and alteration of former government.  In Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, he states, “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.”  This enlightened or (awakened) idea has become the foundation of America’s democracy.  It is because of the ideas of self-importance and free will that were brought forth through the Great Awakening, that the American government of today is a thriving democracy.

The Great Awakening is one of the most important cultural revolutions in the history of the world.  It altered American society forever, and caused democracy to be pursued as a form of government.  It was an essential component of our nation’s progress towards new and exciting goals.