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Causes of Religious Reform
Several factors supported the conditions for the religious reforms of the late 18th and first half of the 19th century known as the Second Great Awakening:
Democratic and Individualistic Emphasis: The growing emphasis on democracy and individualism influenced religion, attracting worshippers to more participatory and less formal services.
Reaction to Rationalism: The rational approach to religion favored by Deists and Unitarians prompted a reaction towards more emotional expressions of beliefs in worship services.
Response to Market Revolution: The market revolution caused fears that industrialization and commercialization were leading to increased greed and sin.
Mobility and Disruption: The disruptions caused by the market revolution and increased mobility led people to seek worship settings outside formal urban churches.
Revivals
The Second Great Awakening began among highly educated individuals and quickly spread through emotional and accessible preaching that appealed to a broader audience.
Reverend Timothy Dwight: President of Yale College, Dwight's campus revivals motivated many young men to become evangelical preachers.
Revivalism on the Frontier: In 1823, Presbyterian minister Charles Grandison Finney started revivals in upstate New York, appealing to emotions and fear of damnation, emphasizing salvation through faith and hard work.
Baptists and Methodists: Circuit preachers like Peter Cartwright traveled to rural areas, attracting thousands to outdoor revivals. By 1850, Baptists and Methodists became the largest Protestant denominations.
New Denominations
The religious fervor of the time led to the growth of new denominations.
Millennialism: William Miller predicted the second coming of Jesus on October 21, 1844. Although the prediction failed, his followers formed the Seventh-Day Adventists.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, the Church faced persecution and eventually moved to Utah under Brigham Young. Despite opposition due to the practice of polygamy (later prohibited in 1890), the Church prospered.
Reforms Backed by Religion
The Second Great Awakening caused divisions between evangelical sects and older Protestant churches, but it also sparked several social reform movements, including:
Efforts to reduce drinking (Temperance Movement)
Abolitionist movement to end slavery
Improved treatment for people with mental illness
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