Nick Spicher
Dr. Hsiung
HS-272
Paper #3
Prompt: What is the Great Awakening and how did it lead to the American Revolution?
A religious revival, that swept British colonial America in the 1700s became known as
the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening challenged the religious establishment that had
previously become dominant throughout the colonies. The movement also lead to many more
colonist becoming evangelicals, which led to the spreading of the new Christian denominations
throughout the colonies. This revival also undermined the societal norms of that society must be
corporate and stratified. The Great Awakening affected the daily life of those in the colonies by
changing how religion influenced the politics and culture of the day. The awakening also impacts
the pathway to the American Revolution by inciting more democratic ideals to the colonial
society.
Establishments, such as the Anglican church in the colonies became challenged in the
colonies during the late 1600s and into the 1700s. The founding of Pennsylvania contributed
majorly to the beginning of the Great Awakening as it bred conversation about religion. The
Anglican church fell under criticism by common people as they searched for a more personal
relationship with God and the Holy Spirit.
1
With common people looking for a more personal
and accessible church atmosphere new churches began to develop called “New Lights.”
1
Alan Taylor, American Colonies: The Settling of North America (NY: Penguin 2001), p. 343
New Lights competed directly against established churches called “Old Lights.”
Examples of these churches are the Anglican Church and the Presbyterian Church. Old Lights
believed in the scriptural traditions that had been passed down through the years, while New
Lights believed in “new dispensations of divine grace.”
2
The competition between the two
groups grew into a religious war with one Congregational minister concluded, “The glorious
work appears to me now as changed into a ruinous war.”
3
Old Light preachers carefully wrote
their sermons which contrasted greatly with the emotionality of New Light sermons. The
spontaneity of New Light sermons gave them the energy needed to create a movement which
became a religious revival.
New Light sermons had become known as being preached emotionally and
spontaneously, to shock and inspire their congregations. In a complete diversion from the Old
Light authority of the minister and magistrate, New Light preachers preached individualism.
4
One preacher stated, “The common people claim as good a right to judge and act for themselves
