APUSH Review: Video #9: The 1st Great Awakening, Anglicization, & The Enlightenment

Summary

This educational video delves into the First Great Awakening and the Enlightenment's influence on the 13 American colonies. It highlights the rise of pluralism with diverse European settlers and their religious and intellectual exchanges. Key figures like Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and George Whitfield are discussed for their roles in religious revival and the emergence of new Christian denominations. The video connects these movements to the growing resistance against British authority, which later fueled the American Revolution. It also explores the concept of Anglicization, where colonies adopted British norms, and the mercantilist system that led to colonial pushback due to a lack of representation in Parliament.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The First Great Awakening was a religious revival that occurred in both England and the 13 colonies, emphasizing individual spirituality.
• 📜 Key figures of the First Great Awakening include Jonathan Edwards, known for his sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God', John Wesley who helped found Methodism, and George Whitfield, an influential orator.
• 🌱 Pluralism during this period refers to the coexistence of multiple groups from different continents and religious backgrounds in the 13 colonies, fostering intellectual exchanges.
• 🌿 The impacts of the First Great Awakening include the emergence of new branches of Christianity, such as Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians, and a challenge to traditional religious authority.
• 💡 The Enlightenment was a period of questioning government and divine authority, with influential thinkers like John Locke advocating natural rights, Montesquieu proposing the separation of powers, and Voltaire championing freedom of religion and speech.
• 🇬🇧 Anglicization refers to the adoption of British norms and customs by the American colonies, influenced by transatlantic print culture and the spread of ideas and goods.
• 📊 Mercantilism was the economic theory where colonies existed to generate profit for the mother country, exemplified by the Navigation Acts which restricted colonial trade to Britain.
• 🚫 Colonial resistance to imperial control stemmed from a lack of representation in British Parliament, a desire for the same rights as those in Britain, and the influence of Enlightenment ideas.
• 🏛️ The idea of rejecting authority, inspired by the First Great Awakening, played a role in the challenges to British authority in the 1760s and 1770s, leading up to the American Revolution.
• 🌐 Transatlantic exchanges, such as George Whitfield's preaching tours, facilitated the spread of ideas from Europe to America, impacting religious and intellectual developments.
• 📚 The script encourages students to connect the dots between the First Great Awakening, the Enlightenment, Anglicization, and the eventual resistance to British rule, highlighting the significance of these movements in shaping American history.

Q & A

What is pluralism in the context of the script?

Pluralism in this context refers to the coexistence of multiple groups with different cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds living together in the 13 colonies, especially during the time of the first Great Awakening.

Who was William Penn and why is he significant in the script?

William Penn was the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania and is significant because he represents the influx of people from various European regions to the English colonies, contributing to the pluralism and intellectual exchanges of the time.

What was the first Great Awakening and why was it significant?

The first Great Awakening was a religious revival that occurred in England and the 13 colonies, emphasizing individual spirituality and leading to the emergence of new branches of Christianity, such as Methodism, Baptism, and Presbyterianism.

Who were the key figures of the first Great Awakening mentioned in the script?

The key figures mentioned are Jonathan Edwards, who is known for his sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God'; John Wesley, the founder of Methodism; and George Whitefield, an influential orator from England who preached in the Americas.

How did the first Great Awakening influence the American Revolution?

The first Great Awakening challenged traditional religious authority, which later inspired a rejection of British authority in the 1760s and 1770s, contributing to the ideological foundation of the American Revolution.

What is the Enlightenment and how did it relate to the American colonies?

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that questioned government and divine authority, promoting ideas like natural rights and separation of powers. It influenced the American colonies by inspiring the challenge to traditional authority and the development of democratic principles.

Who are some of the key Enlightenment thinkers mentioned in the script?

Key Enlightenment thinkers mentioned are John Locke, who advocated for natural rights; Montesquieu, who proposed the separation of powers; and Voltaire, who championed freedom of religion and speech.

What does 'Anglicization' mean in the context of the American colonies?

Anglicization refers to the process by which the American colonies adopted more British norms, customs, and cultural practices, influenced by transatlantic exchanges and the close contact with Britain.

What is mercantilism and how did it affect the relationship between the colonies and Britain?

Mercantilism is the economic theory that colonies exist for the benefit of the mother country, in this case, Britain. It led to policies like the Navigation Acts, which required colonies to trade only with Britain, and contributed to colonial resistance due to the perceived exploitation.

Why did the colonies resist imperial control?

Colonies resisted imperial control due to a lack of representation in Parliament, the influence of Enlightenment ideas promoting self-governance and rights, and the perceived corruption within the imperial system, such as the actions of Sir Edmund Andros.

What is the significance of transatlantic exchanges in the script?

Transatlantic exchanges refer to the spread of ideas, goods, and cultural practices between Europe and America. They played a crucial role in the spread of religious revivalism, Enlightenment ideas, and the process of Anglicization in the colonies.