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AP US History In the early to mid sass, change grasped America in a way that it only had once before; another religious revival. The Second Great Awakening was a tidal wave of spirituality that quickly revolutionized America. While the first Great Awakening renewed interest in religion, the Second Great Awakening introduced new and original theology. Though, both Great Awakenings widened boundaries between classes and regions. Denominations were conceived based on personal beliefs like woman’s rights, slavery, and whether or not alcohol is acceptable.
Liberalism became a vast part of everyday life as people decided that it was time to express their beliefs. The Second Great Awakening accelerated change through contemporary religions, higher education, and general culture. Spirituality was one of the most dominant parts of The Second Great Awakening. Christianity disseminated as religions like Methodist, Baptist, and the Unitarian faith manifested in America. The religions listed spread through the use of prominent camp meetings. People who were Methodist or Baptist stressed personal conversion, democracy in church affairs, and emotionalism.
The Unitarian Faith believed that god existed in only one person, not in the orthodox trinity. They also believed in free will. People like Peter Cartridge and Charles Grandson Finned led masses of people to believe in different thoughts and ideas that they may not have considered before. They evoked emotional enlightenment and a new take on religious freedom. These religions influenced reforms that promoted rights for women, celibacy, rule by profit, and a large amount of other reforms. They also inspired a new perspective on education and its importance.
Education became n increasingly critical subject as time passed. Free public education started in 1828 and later it was innovated by Horace Mann. Mann is known as the “Father of Public Education”. Other important Educators were Noah Webster and William H. McCauley. The Second Great Awakening influenced education because it led to small schools in the South and West. The curriculum focused mainly on Latin, Greek, Math, and moral philosophy. Public education might not have been established without ideas like the Virtuous Republic”. If men were not educated, they wouldn’t have grown up to be veiled.
They felt only civilized men should vote. Though women and slaves were excluded, those reforms still affected them as well. Emma Willard established Troy Female Seminary in 1821 and Mary Lyon established another seminary in 1837. Libraries, public lectures, and magazines flourished as colleges were progressively established. America was developing an all new culture. Culture is the quality in a society that arises from a concern for what is seen as excellence in arts, letters, manners, and solitariness. America started to embrace scientific, artistic, and iterate achievements slightly more than in the past.
Early Americans were more interested in practical science rather than pure science. Scientist like Nathaniel Bewitch and Matthew Marry studied the science of the earth and how things worked verses the science of inventing objects like the cotton gin or plows. The most influential U. S. Scientists were Benjamin Sicilian, Louis Assize, As Gray and John Audubon. Medicine also became increasingly important. Elite expectancy was low and the local surgeons were usually barbers or butchers. Self-prescribed medicines were common. Art is another concept that seemed to advance.
The U. S started to mock European art. Some famous artists were Charles Wilson Pale, John Trustful, and Gilbert Stuart. The Second Great Awakening influenced this reform by inspiring people to paint different things. Art was not that important until then. Lastly, Literature was a colossal part of the evolving culture. Poetry started to advance and United States literature became global with writers like Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allen Poe. Generally, The Second Great Awakening was one of the most influential events of that time.
Religion flourished as new ideas about rights, slavery, alcohol and education swept the nation. Education became a progressively important subject. Public education was finally established so that every white male can be educated. This would not have been established without the ideology of the Virtuous Republic”. In general, the United States of America’s culture shifted dramatically. People became more intelligent and more involved in global society. The Second Great Awakening Influenced reforms through new religions, education, and culture.