HIST-H 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Parenting, William Wells Brown
Document Summary
Social and economic upheaval in early 1800s resulted in religious fervor, moral reform, sometimes confusion. The rise of evangelicalism: intro summary. Revivals effective tools to increase membership and extend religious values. New revivalists repeated successful methods of great awakening (mid 1700s) Capitalized on willingness to form voluntary organizations. Some say revivals and subsequent reform movements reflected same spirit of democratic politics: jacksonians and evangelists sought popular favor, assumed individuals capable of self-direction/improvement, respective leaders demanded different things from ordinary people. Jacksonians- idealized common folk, saw no danger to community in pursuing worldly interests. Evangelists- supported whigs or no party, common people (not just elite) had to be redeemed and committed to higher goals than self-interests, did not trust democracy of unbelievers/sinners. Protestants concerned about spread of infidelity - term applied to. Catholics, unitarians, mormons, free thinkers, anyone not evangelical. Opposition to making us officially protestant- casual attitude to orthodoxy, secular ideas from enlightenment.
