#2 The Enlightenment and Great Awakening in America
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening, two pivotal movements that shaped the American mindset and ultimately led to independence from Great Britain. The Enlightenment, originating in Europe, challenged traditional views and promoted reason and science, influencing figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. The Great Awakening revitalized religious interest with emotional sermons, leading to new denominations and a push for higher education. Both movements questioned authority, laying the groundwork for the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence, which emphasized natural rights and the right to overthrow a government that fails to protect them.
Takeaways
- 🌟 The Enlightenment was a European movement that began in the 1700s, emphasizing reason and challenging traditional views on various subjects like human nature, government, and law.
- 📚 Enlightenment ideas spread to America through settlers, particularly the Puritans, who stressed literacy and public education, facilitating the sharing and discussion of these ideas.
- 👤 Key figures of the American Enlightenment, like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, promoted scientific experimentation and the concept of natural rights, which influenced the Declaration of Independence.
- 🔥 The Great Awakening was a religious movement that occurred concurrently with the Enlightenment, characterized by emotional sermons and a new interest in religion, leading to large-scale revivals.
- 💬 Both the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening inspired questioning of authority, with the former focusing on reason and the latter on personal religious experience.
- 🏛 The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening contributed to the formation of new Christian denominations and the establishment of higher education institutions like Princeton and Dartmouth.
- 📖 'Common Sense,' a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, argued for American independence from Britain, asserting that the colonies could form a more equal society without British rule.
- 🏛 The Declaration of Independence, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, was influenced by Enlightenment ideas and declared the colonies' independence from Britain, citing violations of natural rights.
- 📜 The phrase 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' in the Declaration of Independence was adapted from John Locke's idea of natural rights, reflecting the Enlightenment's emphasis on individual rights.
- 🤔 The Declaration of Independence also asserted that if a government does not protect these rights, the people have the right to overthrow it and establish a new government.
- 🇺🇸 The Declaration of Independence marked the birth of the United States as an independent nation, with its principles deeply rooted in the Enlightenment and the spirit of the Great Awakening.
Q & A
What were the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening, and how did they influence the American colonies?
-The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in 18th-century Europe that challenged traditional views and emphasized reason, science, and individual rights. The Great Awakening was a religious revival that occurred in the American colonies during the same period, focusing on emotional religious experiences. Both movements played significant roles in shaping the American mind, leading to a questioning of authority and eventually contributing to the American Revolution and the colonies' quest for independence from Great Britain.
How did the Enlightenment ideas spread to America?
-Enlightenment ideas spread to America primarily through settlers and colonists, especially the Puritans, who emphasized literacy and public education. The ideas were often found in books that were brought over from Europe, shared, and discussed among the colonists. Influential Americans like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson also helped popularize these ideas through their writings and actions.
What was the role of Benjamin Franklin in the Enlightenment in America?
-Benjamin Franklin was a prominent figure of the Enlightenment in America. He was known for promoting the use of scientific experimentation and reason to answer common questions about the world, which was in line with the Enlightenment's emphasis on empirical knowledge and rational thought.
What was Thomas Jefferson's contribution to the Enlightenment in America?
-Thomas Jefferson was a key figure of the Enlightenment in America. He argued for the concept of natural rights, which the government must respect and protect. His beliefs influenced the Declaration of Independence, which incorporated Enlightenment ideals.
Who was Jonathan Edwards, and how did he contribute to the Great Awakening?
-Jonathan Edwards was a famous clergyman during the Great Awakening. He became well-known for his intense and emotional sermons, which sparked a renewed interest in religion among the colonists in the 1730s and 1740s.
What were the effects of the Great Awakening on religious life in the American colonies?
-The Great Awakening led to the formation of new Christian denominations, such as Methodists and Baptists, which challenged the authority of the Church of England. It also increased interest in higher education, leading to the establishment of colleges like Princeton and Dartmouth.
How did the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening differ in their approach to understanding the world and religion?
-The Enlightenment emphasized reason and thought processes, encouraging individuals to question and understand the world through observation and rational analysis. In contrast, the Great Awakening focused on emotional expression and personal religious experiences, with less emphasis on rational inquiry.
What was the significance of the pamphlet 'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine?
-The pamphlet 'Common Sense' was significant because it argued for the independence of the American colonies from Britain. It was one of the best-selling documents of its time and greatly influenced the members of the Second Continental Congress, who were deciding on the issue of independence.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and what was its purpose?
-The Declaration of Independence was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, with contributions from other members of the Second Continental Congress, including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Its purpose was to explain and justify the colonies' decision to declare independence from Great Britain, based on Enlightenment ideals and the belief in natural rights.
What is the meaning of 'unalienable rights' as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence?
-Unalienable rights, as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, refer to rights that are inherent to all individuals by virtue of their humanity, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are considered to be fundamental and cannot be taken away or transferred.
How did the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening contribute to the American Revolution?
-Both the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening contributed to the American Revolution by challenging the authority of the English church, government, and king. They inspired colonists to question British control over their lives and to consider the possibility of forming their own country, which was a key factor leading to the Revolution.
Outlines
🌟 Enlightenment and Great Awakening in America
This paragraph introduces the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening as significant movements that influenced the American mindset and ultimately led to the colonies' independence from Great Britain. The Enlightenment, originating in Europe, challenged traditional views and promoted the idea that the world operates on natural laws, not luck or miracles. Influential figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson played a role in popularizing these ideas in America. The Great Awakening, occurring concurrently, saw a surge in religious fervor and the emergence of new clergymen known for their passionate sermons, leading to large-scale religious meetings called revivals. Both movements contributed to the questioning of authority and the rise of individualism.
📚 Impact of Enlightenment and Great Awakening on Education and Religion
The second paragraph delves into the impact of the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening on education and religion in the American colonies. The Enlightenment encouraged the use of reason and observation to understand oneself and the world, while the Great Awakening emphasized emotional and instinctual connections with spirituality. Both movements inspired a questioning of authority, with the Enlightenment advocating for individual reason over accepted truths and the Great Awakening challenging the necessity of church authorities for a personal relationship with God. The Great Awakening led to the formation of new Christian denominations and an increased interest in higher education, resulting in the establishment of colleges like Princeton and Dartmouth.
🏛 The American Revolution and the Birth of the United States
The final paragraph discusses the American Revolution and the creation of the United States, highlighting the role of Enlightenment ideas and the Great Awakening in shaping the political landscape. It mentions 'Common Sense,' a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, which argued for the colonies' independence from Britain and the formation of a new, more equal society. The Declaration of Independence, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson and influenced by John Locke's philosophy, is presented as the document that articulated the colonies' reasons for seeking independence, emphasizing natural rights and the right of the people to overthrow a government that fails to protect them. The paragraph concludes with a note on the Declaration's assertion of 'all men are created equal,' a statement that has evolved in interpretation over time.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Enlightenment
💡Great Awakening
💡Natural Rights
💡Declaration of Independence
💡Thomas Jefferson
💡Benjamin Franklin
💡Common Sense
💡Second Continental Congress
💡Puritans
💡Unalienable Rights
Highlights
The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening were significant movements that influenced the American mind and contributed to the colonies' independence from Great Britain.
The Enlightenment originated in 18th century Europe, challenging traditional views and promoting new ideas about human nature, government, law, and religion.
Enlightenment thinkers believed in natural laws governing the world, such as gravity, rather than luck or miracles.
The spread of Enlightenment ideas in America was facilitated by settlers, particularly the Puritans, who emphasized literacy and public education.
Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were key figures of the Enlightenment in America, promoting scientific experimentation and the concept of natural rights.
The Great Awakening was a religious revival in the 1730s and 1740s, featuring emotional sermons by clergymen like Jonathan Edwards.
Revivals attracted a diverse crowd, including men, women, and slaves, reflecting a widespread interest in new religious ideas.
The Great Awakening led to the formation of new Christian denominations, challenging the authority of the Church of England and traditional Puritan views.
The movement also increased interest in higher education, leading to the establishment of colleges like Princeton and Dartmouth.
Enlightenment and the Great Awakening both inspired questioning of authority and emphasized the importance of the individual.
Thomas Paine's pamphlet 'Common Sense' argued for American independence from Britain, influencing the Second Continental Congress.
The Declaration of Independence, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, was influenced by Enlightenment ideas and declared the colonies' separation from Britain.
Jefferson's famous phrase 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' was adapted from John Locke's idea of natural rights.
The Declaration of Independence asserted that governments can be overthrown if they fail to protect citizens' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Controversy surrounds the interpretation of 'all men are created equal,' with modern interpretations differing from Jefferson's original intent.
The Declaration of Independence listed grievances against the English king and Parliament, asserting violations of unalienable rights.
The document's creation marked the birth of the independent United States of America.
Transcripts
hey there folks welcome to video number
2 this time we're gonna take a quick
look at the Enlightenment in America
along with the Great Awakening two
movements that play big roles in
changing the American mind it would help
eventually lead the American colonies to
become their own country and declare
their independence from Great Britain so
what was the Enlightenment well it did
not start in North America it actually
started and was already a movement a
process that was going on in the 1700s
in Europe and what it was was a
challenging of the traditional views
about the world and mankind humankind
you had scientists and philosophers who
are expressing new ideas or were
revisiting old ideas about everything
from human nature and government and law
about religion and many other topics and
they drew these ideas from their own
experiences they drew them from texts
and philosophers from Africa from the
Middle East and from Asia and they
really began to publicize a lot of these
ideas they said things like the world
was governed by natural laws like the
law of gravity you may be familiar with
that one and that these actually
controlled our day to day world not luck
and not miracles there was actually
science behind the world that was around
us and even science within us so the
Enlightenment made its way to America
how well because of all the settlers the
colonists who were coming over from
places like England to North America the
Puritans in particular really stressed
literacy and public education now this
was in order to read the Bible but this
actually helped with the spread of
Enlightenment ideas because a lot of
these ideas were in book form and so
these books would come over to the
colonies and be shared by the colonists
and discussed by the colonists you had
Americans like Benjamin Franklin who
popularized using experiment
experimentation scientific experiments
and reason to find the answers to common
questions about the world Thomas
Jefferson also was a
well-known figure of the Enlightenment
in America he argued that people have
natural rights the government's must
respect and protect and some of these
beliefs would become part of the
Declaration of Independence which we'll
talk more about in just a few minutes
here's a well-known portrait of Benjamin
Franklin what a must well known this was
the basis for his portrait on the
hundred dollar bill and this is the
image of Thomas Jefferson that was made
when he was the president he actually
ended up being the third President of
the United States so the Great Awakening
was going on as well around this time
so as Enlightenment ideas spread in the
colonies religious influence decreased
however we had this wave of new
clergymen pastors reverends and
ministers one of the most famous being
Jonathan Edwards who became very famous
for their intense and emotional sermons
and this led to new interest in religion
in the 1730's and the 1740s in fact
there was so much interest that large
religious meetings that were called
revivals were held so these would be
held outside of churches and taverns and
meetinghouses rooms that were big enough
for a wide range of Americans to attend
you had not just men but women slaves
people from all walks of life all
economic classes who were interested in
hearing these sermons and hearing these
new ideas about religion and here's a
painting that tries to capture what one
of these meetings would have been like
where you have the pastor standing up on
the chair and you know she have a very
mixed crowd you have people discussing
what he's talking about you have men and
women and looking at their clothes you
can see they come from all walks of life
rich and poor and middle class listening
to this pastor so the what Great
Awakening had some other impacts on the
colonies first of all you had new
Christian denominations or new groups
that were formed such as Methodists and
Baptists which he may have heard of
these groups in a way challenged the
authority of the Church of England the
official Church of England that was
headed by the king of England and they
also challenged old Puritan views like
the Puritans who had settled
in Plymouth this increased interest in
higher education as well you remember
the Puritans wanted to be able to read
the Bible so they can interpret the Word
of God for themselves and share those
ideas with themselves or at least
understand what their preachers were
saying but this would lead to many
colleges like Princeton being opened and
these colleges were created to Train
ministers or you eyed colleges like
Dartmouth which were opened to educate
Native Americans and in a way to
Christianize them here's a picture of
Princeton today if you ever have a
chance to go up to New Jersey visit
Princeton this is what you'll see and
again
the college was originally founded to
Train ministers but of course now it
offers a wide range of courses and
majors there so let's take a look at the
Enlightenment verse the Great Awakening
how are they similar how are they
different so the Enlightenment
emphasized reason thought processes what
do you know about yourself what do you
observe well the Great Awakening
emphasized a more emotional expression
what does your heart say what do you
feel in your gut your instinct and
things like that what does what does God
the Holy Spirit say to you and how do
you express that both inspired the
questioning of authority and they
stressed the importance of the
individual so the Enlightenment
emphasized using reason to understand
yourself don't just take what anybody
tells you about yourself what do you
think about yourself what do you think
about yourself based on the world around
you and the Great Awakening challenged
church authority because it basically
said that church authorities are not
essential for you to understand God you
can develop your own relationship with
God you can read the Bible you can pray
you can think about that without having
somebody else do that for you and this
would inspire colonists to question the
British control of their lives these
ideas challenging the authority of the
English church challenging the authority
of Parliament the king the English
government these were ideas that would
help lead to the American Revolution
through pamphlets like common sense
which we'll talk more about in just a
second
as well as the Declaration of
Independence which made clear some of
the ideas that would lead to the
American Revolution so let's talk about
common sense the pamphlet which was
written by this guy Thomas Paine this is
a portrait of him Thomas Paine was
actually born in in Great Britain but
made his way to the American colonies he
was actually Scottish and he argued in
this pamphlet which is a very short book
he argued that the American colonies did
not need Britain that they could form
their own country and in fact would be
better off on their own Britain
according to Paine was abusing its power
was abusing its control of the American
colonies and was tyrannical there like a
dictator very cruel dictator and
oppressed the Americans and the colonies
but America America separate from Great
Britain could create a more equal
society and economy than they ever could
with Great Britain in charge so these
were all ideas that challenged the
authority the power of the British
government on American society on the
American colonies and on their economy
now this was a very short pamphlet it
was published in 1776 but it was very
popular it was one of the best-selling
books best-selling documents of all time
and more importantly it was read by many
members of the Second Continental
Congress and these were the men who at
the time were deciding whether or not to
declare independence from Great Britain
many of them read it and when they got
together they ultimately decided to vote
for independence and they came up with
this document the Declaration of
Independence there it is in fact it's
right down the street from us at the
archives if you ever catch the 70 or 79
to the end you can go and see the
Declaration of Independence yourself the
original handwritten version this is a
typed version that came out later so
Declaration of Independence was mainly
written by this guy Thomas Jefferson who
was also joined by folks like Benjamin
Franklin as well as John Adams who would
be the second president
and other members of the Second World
Congress so he actually wrote it
Jefferson and his colleagues began
writing in while the Second Continental
Congress was still debating whether or
not to separate from Britain so this was
just written as a possibility in case
the American colonies declared their
independence and the reason was to
explain why the colonies were declaring
their independence they didn't just want
to say we're done we're through they
actually wanted to give a reason why
they were declaring their independence
from Great Britain and there it was
based on many Enlightenment ideas like
the ideas of John Locke who was an
English philosopher John Locke had
previously written that people have
natural rights to life liberty and
property and this directly influenced
one line in the Declaration of
Independence the Jefferson wrote where
he changed Locke's original idea to life
liberty and the pursuit of happiness and
that's a phrase you may be familiar with
that is an Enlightenment idea the
Declaration of Independence also argued
another Enlightenment idea that if
government does not protect those rights
those rights to life liberty the pursuit
of happiness then the people that are
being ruled by the government can
overthrow that government and create a
new one that does Jefferson also
declared in the declaration that all men
are created equal now this is a
statement that has created a lot of
controversy the way we interpret it now
is very different than what Jefferson
originally meant Jefferson originally
meant that all free citizens are
political equals that is most likely
what he meant today we have a different
interpretation of this and we'll talk
about this in class about what this
statement means to us in the present day
the Declaration of Independence would go
on to list all the wrongs that were
committed by the English king and by
Parliament towards America that violated
violated their unalienable rights
unalienable rights means rights that you
are basically born with these are rights
that you know you have that you know you
have because you
use reason nobody has to tell you you
have these rights you know you have
these rights and so the Declaration of
Independence after all this is what
basically is what created an independent
United States of America our own country
and we'll take a closer look at this
document in class because this is when
the United States really comes into
existence all right thanks for watching
the next presentation we'll take a look
at the American Revolution and
everything that went on while the
Declaration of Independence was being
written
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