The Second Great Awakening

The Second Great Awakening: APUSH Study Guide

Hey there, history adventurers! Ready to dive into a thrilling chapter of American history? Buckle up because we're about to explore the Second Great Awakening—a religious revival that rocked the United States in the early 19th century. Think of it as America’s spiritual supercharged era! 🌟

The Second Great Awakening was like the blockbuster sequel to the First Great Awakening. This was a time when people weren’t just looking for an update to the old church hymns; they were rediscovering their spiritual playlists! Kicking off around 1790, peaking in the 1820s and 1830s, and wrapping up by the late 1840s, this period saw a massive surge in church membership, from Methodists to Baptists. Established churches felt like yesterday's news, while new denominations popped up faster than viral TikTok trends.

The Awakening was about more than just singing loud in church. It was a ground-shifting change in how people viewed Christianity and their roles in society. People started believing that they didn't need an intercom to God—ordinary folks deserved a say in everything, even religion!

Say goodbye to Calvinist teachings of original sin and predestination! These ideas were like old-school horror flicks—scary but outdated. Enter the more optimistic views of the Unitarian Church, which believed in a more forgiving and less predestined existence. Basically, the theological equivalent of shifting from black-and-white TV to full-color HD.

Emotional experiences in religion became the hot topic because, with the Market Revolution making work feel a bit too corporate, people craved some soulful, personal connections. Picture religion becoming the heartfelt indie movie to the market's blockbuster.

Meet Charles Grandison Finney, the charismatic, crowd-pleasing preacher of the Second Great Awakening. This dude wasn’t about the old-school, fire-and-brimstone approach. He taught that sin was a choice, not a destiny. Imagine sermons so electric, they made rock concerts seem tame.

Finney was all about immediate spiritual makeovers. His methods included all-night revival meetings and setting up an “anxious bench” for those seeking spiritual breakthroughs. He rallied for social causes, too, like abolishing slavery and promoting women’s rights. Ladies, according to Finney, could save the day by converting their husbands and fathers. Talk about girl power!

Sometimes, his sermons were so intense that people literally fell to the floor in excitement. Move over mosh pits; you've got competition.

The impact of the Second Great Awakening went way beyond Sunday mornings. It gave a colossal boost to church memberships and created new denominations faster than apps in a tech boom. The Awakening was all about personal emotional experiences, breaking away from the dry, intellectual approach of yesteryears. This era's spiritual wave rode on into new movements like the Pentecostal and Holiness movements.

But wait, there’s more! The Second Great Awakening was a social powerhouse, driving reform movements like abolition and temperance. Activist religious groups used their pulpits to fight for change, setting a foundation for future social justice warriors.

This period also saw the birth of new colleges and universities, pumping up literacy rates and giving the middle class a jolt. Suddenly, America had more educated citizens than ever before, setting the stage for a more informed society.

During the Awakening, Baptists and Methodists were the spiritual equivalent of rock bands filling arenas. These denominations saw incredible growth, especially in the South and the western frontier, courtesy of circuit preachers like Peter Cartwright. These preachers were the original influencers, traveling from town to town and drawing thousands to their dramatic outdoor revivals.

Imagine camp meetings that were more like Woodstock but with more praying and fewer guitars. Emotional, high-energy gatherings breathed new life into these religious communities. Meanwhile, traditional churches like Congregationalists and Presbyterians started to see their numbers wane.

Joseph Smith of Palmyra, New York, was like the George Lucas of religion—creating epic sagas and founding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1830. Smith claimed to have received divine revelations and published the Book of Mormon, a story blending ancient Jewish history and religious visions.

The Mormons, committed to restoring true religion, faced intense opposition. Their journey saw them establishing communities in Ohio and Missouri, only to be driven out by mobs. Smith's controversial revelation about polygamy added fuel to the fire, and he ultimately met a violent end in 1844.

Enter Brigham Young, Smith’s successor, who led an epic Mormon migration to the Great Salt Lake, where they aimed to build a religious utopia. You know what they say: “Go West, young man!”—or in this case, “Go West, 12,000 Mormons!”

The Second Great Awakening was about personal faith driving social change, creating a dynamic loop where religion inspired reform and vice versa. Democratic and individualistic beliefs, responses to rationalism, and societal changes from the market revolution converged to spark this spiritual movement.

• Abolition Movement: The campaign to end slavery and racial discrimination, critical to the antebellum period.
• Anxious Bench: Finney's spiritually-loaded "front row" where those anxious about their souls could receive special prayers.
• Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith's epic religious text, a cornerstone for the LDS Church.
• Camp Meetings: Frontier revival gatherings marked by enthusiastic, emotional worship lasting several days.
• Circuit Riders: Methodist preachers on the move, spreading faith across vast territories.
• Market Revolution: A shift from agrarian society to an industrialized, consumer-driven economy, creating new societal dynamics.
• Tent Revivals: The spiritual and social epicenter of many communities, offering dynamic preaching and communal experiences.

In wrapping up our spiritual journey, the Second Great Awakening wasn’t just about filling pews; it filled hearts and minds too. It revolutionized American religion, empowered social reforms, and left a legacy that echoes through modern-day spiritual and social movements. So, ready your flashcards and unleash your inner historian—you're primed to ace your AP US History exam! 🌈