The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival in the US from 1790-1840, characterized by increased church activity, social activism, and new Christian denominations. The First Great Awakening preceded it. The period saw the emergence of social movements such as temperance, women’s rights, and abolitionism. It also led to the establishment of new Christian denominations and had a significant impact on American history, including the Civil War.
The Second Great Awakening was a period of religious revival in the United States between 1790 and 1840. The First Great Awakening of colonial America followed. Features of this period include widespread conversions, increased church activity, social activism, and the emergence of new Christian denominations. The period is believed to have ended with the American Civil War, though its legacy continues today.
In response to the perceived decline in religious devotion after the Age of Enlightenment, a number of preachers triggered the First Great Awakening in the American colonies. Preacher Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” for example, emphasized that God can send wicked men to hell at any time. Other preachers joined Edwards in the 1730s and 1740s in delivering sermons with vivid imagery to large audiences. Their preaching style of connecting emotionally with ordinary people, rather than advancing theological arguments, has been widely imitated. The term “Great Awakening” is disputed, but most agree that church activity increased in many areas during this period.
Social activism, especially in the northern states, was integral to the Second Great Awakening. Supporters of the temperance movement have criticized various effects of alcohol’s role in public life. Other activists began pushing for women’s rights, including the right to vote, during this period. Still others have pushed for prison reform. Finally, abolitionists rallied around the issue of slavery and called for an end to it in the United States.
The Second Great Awakening was also a period that saw the establishment of many new Christian denominations. After the American Revolution, many longed for religious independence and political independence from Europe. They interpreted community building in the new American lands as an opportunity to form churches free from European corruption. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, traces its origin to the Second Great Awakening. Similarly, Baptists and Shakers developed significantly during this period.
American history was significantly affected by the Second Great Awakening. The strengthening of abolitionism increased tensions between the northern and southern states, which culminated in the American Civil War. The development of the temperance movement eventually led to a constitutional amendment that banned the production, sale and transportation of alcohol. Some historians identify a Third Great Awakening that added international missionary work to the other forms of religious activity seen in earlier phases of a larger Great Awakening.
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