Colonial SOCIETY and CULTURE [APUSH Review Unit 2 Topic 7 (2.7)] Period 2—1607-1754

Summary

This video from the AP US History curriculum explores the development of American culture from 1607 to 1754, focusing on the impact of the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening on colonial society. It discusses how Enlightenment ideas, such as those of John Locke, fostered a sense of natural rights and democratic governance among colonists. The Great Awakening, led by preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, further unified American society and encouraged resistance to tyranny. These movements laid the groundwork for future colonial resistance to British rule, exemplified by the impressment riots during King George's War.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses Unit 2 of the AP US History curriculum, focusing on colonial society and structure from 1607 to 1754.
• 🌐 The movement of ideas and people across the Atlantic Ocean played a significant role in shaping American culture.
• 💡 The Enlightenment, a European movement emphasizing rational thinking over religious tradition, influenced the American colonies through transatlantic print culture.
• 📜 John Locke's 'Two Treatises on Government' introduced the concept of natural rights to the colonists, suggesting inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.
• 🗳️ Enlightenment thinkers advocated for a government with three branches to provide checks and balances, and the idea of a social contract between the people and their government.
• 📉 The influence of the Enlightenment led to a decline in the authority of biblical revelation, setting the stage for the Great Awakening.
• 🔥 The Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept through the colonies, led by preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, who emphasized personal religious experience.
• 🌟 Edwards and Whitefield's preaching combined Enlightenment ideas with intense religious fervor, creating a nationwide movement that bound American society together.
• 🏛️ The Great Awakening had social consequences, influencing the colonists' attitudes towards colonial authority and contributing to the formation of self-governing structures.
• ⚓️ The practice of impressment by the British, forcing men into service in the Royal Navy, led to resistance and riots among the colonists, reflecting growing mistrust and awareness of natural rights violations.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video?

The main topic discussed in the video is the development of American culture and colonial society and structure from 1607 to 1754, focusing on how the movement of ideas and people across the Atlantic contributed to this development.

What was the Enlightenment and how did it influence the American colonies?

The Enlightenment was a European movement that emphasized rational thinking over tradition and religious revelation. It influenced the American colonies by spreading its ideas through a robust transatlantic print culture, leading to a questioning of traditional authority and an emphasis on natural rights and democratic government.

Who were some of the Enlightenment thinkers mentioned in the video, and what were their contributions?

John Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Emanuel Kant were mentioned as Enlightenment thinkers. Locke contributed ideas about natural rights, while others like Rousseau and Kant contributed to the concept of a social contract and the idea of a government with three branches for checks and balances.

What was the impact of the Enlightenment on religious beliefs in the colonies?

The Enlightenment led to a decline in the authority of biblical revelation as it emphasized knowledge through the senses and scientific inquiry, which contrasted with the biblical claim that knowledge comes from God's revelation.

What was the Great Awakening and why was it significant?

The Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept through the colonies, generating intense Christian devotion and enthusiasm. It was significant because it bound American society together, taught resistance to threats to democracy, and had social consequences such as emphasizing the democratic tendencies in the Bible and resisting the tyranny of wealthy colonial officials.

Who were the two main preachers associated with the Great Awakening mentioned in the video?

Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were the two main preachers associated with the Great Awakening. Edwards was known for combining Enlightenment ideas with religious fervor, while Whitefield was renowned for his powerful preaching that captivated audiences across the colonies.

How did the Great Awakening contribute to the development of American culture?

The Great Awakening contributed to the development of American culture by creating a nationwide movement that fostered a sense of unity and shared identity among the colonists, while also instilling values of democracy and resistance to tyranny.

What was the practice of impressment and why did it lead to resistance among the colonists?

Impressment was the practice of forcibly enlisting men, often against their will, to serve in the Royal Navy. It led to resistance among the colonists because it was seen as a violation of their natural rights, and life aboard British naval ships was known to be dangerous due to battles, disease, and malnutrition.

How did the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening set the stage for future resistance to British rule?

The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening set the stage for future resistance to British rule by awakening the colonists to ideas of liberty, rights, and democratic government, and by fostering a sense of unity and resistance to tyranny, which would later contribute to the growing mistrust and rebellion against British authority.

What is the connection between the ideas discussed in the video and the eventual American Revolution?

The ideas discussed in the video, such as natural rights, democratic government, and resistance to tyranny, laid the philosophical and cultural groundwork for the American Revolution, as they contributed to the colonists' growing desire for self-governance and resistance to British rule.