APUSH: Period 2, 1607-1754 - The First Great Awakening and Enlightenment in the Colonies

Why This Matters

The First Great Awakening and Enlightenment in the Colonies (1730s-1760s) was a pivotal period in American history, marking a significant shift in the colonies' spiritual, intellectual, and social landscape. This era laid the groundwork for the American Revolution, as the ideas of individual liberty, democracy, and the social contract began to take hold. The First Great Awakening and Enlightenment also contributed to the development of American identity, as colonists began to question traditional authority and assert their own rights and values.

Key Events & People

• Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758): A prominent Congregationalist minister who preached the Great Awakening, emphasizing the importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.
• George Whitefield (1714-1770): An Anglican minister who traveled extensively throughout the colonies, preaching the Great Awakening and emphasizing the importance of emotional experience in faith.
• Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790): A leading Enlightenment thinker who advocated for reason, science, and individual liberty, publishing influential works such as "Poor Richard's Almanack" and "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin."
• John Locke (1632-1704): An English philosopher whose ideas on social contract theory, natural rights, and the separation of powers influenced the development of American thought and politics.
• The Great Awakening Revivals (1730s-1740s): A series of revivals that swept through the colonies, emphasizing the importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.
• The Enlightenment in the Colonies (1740s-1760s): A period of intellectual and cultural ferment, marked by the rise of rationalism, empiricism, and the scientific method.
• The influence of the Enlightenment on the American Revolution (1760s-1770s): The ideas of the Enlightenment, particularly those of Locke and Rousseau, influenced the American Revolution, shaping the colonies' understanding of liberty, democracy, and the social contract.
• The role of the press in the Enlightenment (1740s-1760s): The rise of newspapers and pamphlets helped to disseminate Enlightenment ideas, facilitating the growth of a literate and informed public.
• The impact of the Enlightenment on American identity (1760s-1770s): The Enlightenment helped to shape American identity, emphasizing the importance of individual liberty, democracy, and the social contract.

Cause & Effect Chain

• Cause: The rise of rationalism and empiricism in the Enlightenment led to a growing skepticism of traditional authority.
• Effect: This skepticism contributed to the development of a more critical and questioning public, which in turn fueled the growth of the American Revolution.

• Long-term consequence: The American Revolution's emphasis on individual liberty and democracy helped to shape the course of American history, influencing the development of the United States as a nation.

• Cause: The Great Awakening revivals emphasized the importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.

• Effect: This emphasis contributed to a growing sense of individualism and a decline in traditional authority, laying the groundwork for the American Revolution.

• Long-term consequence: The Great Awakening's emphasis on individual experience and conversion helped to shape American spirituality, influencing the development of Protestantism in the United States.

• Cause: The influence of Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke and Rousseau helped to shape the colonies' understanding of liberty and democracy.

• Effect: This understanding contributed to the growth of a more critical and questioning public, which in turn fueled the American Revolution.
• Long-term consequence: The American Revolution's emphasis on individual liberty and democracy helped to shape the course of American history, influencing the development of the United States as a nation.

Essential Vocabulary

• *Rationalism*: The idea that reason is the primary source of knowledge and understanding.
  • Example: Benjamin Franklin's emphasis on reason and science in his writings.
• *Empiricism*: The idea that knowledge is derived from experience and observation.
  • Example: The rise of scientific inquiry and experimentation in the colonies.
• *Social Contract Theory*: The idea that government derives its authority from the consent of the governed.
  • Example: John Locke's influence on the American Revolution's emphasis on individual liberty and democracy.
• *Enlightenment*: A cultural and intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual liberty.
  • Example: The rise of newspapers and pamphlets in the colonies, facilitating the growth of a literate and informed public.
• *Great Awakening*: A series of revivals that swept through the colonies, emphasizing the importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.
  • Example: Jonathan Edwards' preaching and the impact of the Great Awakening on American spirituality.
• *Liberty*: The idea of individual freedom and autonomy.
  • Example: The American Revolution's emphasis on individual liberty and democracy.
• *Democracy*: A system of government in which power is held by the people.
  • Example: The influence of Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke and Rousseau on the American Revolution's emphasis on democracy.
• *Individualism*: The idea that individuals have inherent rights and dignity.
  • Example: The Great Awakening's emphasis on personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.
• *Separation of Powers*: The idea that power should be divided among separate branches of government.
  • Example: John Locke's influence on the American Revolution's emphasis on the separation of powers.

Common Student Mistakes

• What students often get wrong: Confusing the Great Awakening with the Enlightenment.
• Correction: The Great Awakening was a series of revivals that emphasized personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation, while the Enlightenment was a cultural and intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual liberty.
• What students often get wrong: Believing that the Enlightenment was a single event or person.
• Correction: The Enlightenment was a cultural and intellectual movement that spanned several decades and involved many thinkers, including Locke, Rousseau, and Franklin.
• What students often get wrong: Thinking that the American Revolution was solely the result of Enlightenment ideas.
• Correction: While Enlightenment ideas played a significant role in shaping the American Revolution, other factors, such as colonial grievances and economic interests, also contributed to the outbreak of the Revolution.

DBQ / LEQ Connections

• Possible essay prompt: Analyze the impact of the Enlightenment on the American Revolution. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the influence of Locke's social contract theory and the rise of newspapers and pamphlets.
  • Evidence: Locke's "Second Treatise of Government," the influence of the Enlightenment on the Declaration of Independence, and the rise of newspapers such as the Pennsylvania Gazette.
• Possible essay prompt: Examine the role of the Great Awakening in shaping American spirituality. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and the impact of the Great Awakening on American identity.
  • Evidence: Edwards' sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," the impact of the Great Awakening on American spirituality, and the influence of the Great Awakening on American identity.
• Possible essay prompt: Discuss the relationship between the Enlightenment and the American Revolution. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the influence of Locke's social contract theory and the rise of newspapers and pamphlets.
  • Evidence: Locke's "Second Treatise of Government," the influence of the Enlightenment on the Declaration of Independence, and the rise of newspapers such as the Pennsylvania Gazette.

Quick Self?Check

1. What was the primary focus of the Great Awakening? a) The role of reason in faith b) The importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation c) The influence of Enlightenment thinkers on American thought

Answer: b) The importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation

1. Who was a leading Enlightenment thinker who advocated for reason, science, and individual liberty? a) Benjamin Franklin b) John Locke c) Jonathan Edwards

Answer: a) Benjamin Franklin

1. What was the significance of the Enlightenment in the colonies? a) It marked a decline in traditional authority b) It emphasized the importance of personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation c) It helped to shape the colonies' understanding of liberty and democracy

Answer: c) It helped to shape the colonies' understanding of liberty and democracy

Last?Minute Cram Sheet

• The Great Awakening was a series of revivals that swept through the colonies in the 1730s-1740s.
• The Enlightenment was a cultural and intellectual movement that emphasized reason, science, and individual liberty.
• John Locke's social contract theory influenced the American Revolution's emphasis on individual liberty and democracy.
• Benjamin Franklin was a leading Enlightenment thinker who advocated for reason, science, and individual liberty.
• The Pennsylvania Gazette was a prominent newspaper that helped to disseminate Enlightenment ideas.
• Jonathan Edwards was a prominent Congregationalist minister who preached the Great Awakening.
• The Declaration of Independence was influenced by Enlightenment ideas, particularly those of Locke and Rousseau.
• The American Revolution was a significant turning point in American history, shaping the course of the United States as a nation.
• The Enlightenment helped to shape American identity, emphasizing the importance of individual liberty, democracy, and the social contract.
• The Great Awakening's emphasis on personal conversion and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation helped to shape American spirituality.