Second Great Awakening Research Paper

The Second Great Awakening was an enormous religious revival that swept the
American nation in the beginning of the 19th century. A revival is defined by Webster’s
Dictionary as “the growth of something or an increase in the activity of something after a long period of no growth or activity.” This revival caused an unfathomable amount of permanent change to the United States. The Second Great Awakening converted millions of Americans, resulted in several new denominations of faith, changed the the way the American people viewed religion, caused a long period of reform, and connected democracy and religion.
Between years 1765 and 1815, an era called the American Enlightenment emphasised reason, education, liberty, and tolerance over any divine power. This Enlightenment, or Age of
Unitarians did however share the belief with the revivalists that society can be perfected by the hands of humanity. In addition to critics, the Second Great Awakening produced Utopia communities due to the spirit of perfectionism. Utopian communities separated from society and attempted to create a perfect community. One of the most famous and successful
Utopian communities was the Shaker community. Founded by English Mother Ann Lee, the
Shakers believed in close knit communities, a good work ethic, and celibacy. To expel temptations of sexual relations, Shakers often danced, hence their name. At their peak, they had over 6,000 members. Another new religion resulting from the Second Great Awakening was the Church of Latter­Day Saints or Mormons. Joseph Smith founded the religion in 1827, in New York. The Book of Mormon states Jesus actually arrived in the New World and was

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forgotten by the time Columbus arrived. These radical ideas caused the persecution of
Mormons and eventually led to their journey west to Utah, where they could be free of persecution. Today, the Mormon faith continues to grow. Despite the importance of these
The revivals resulted in several new denominations, such as the Mormons and the Shakers. The Second Great Awakening was also a significant cause of the Antebellum Reform, the period of social change that occurred throughout the
19th century. The Second Great Awakening not only directly preached the necessity of moral and social order, but also stated that the power of change is in humanity’s hands and it is humanity’s obligation to try and spiritually and morally perfect society. Men and women alike used religion to justify change to better their society. Complementing the Second Great
Awakening in its endeavor towards reform was a philosophy called Transcendentalism.
Transcendentalists, led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, stated all humans were born good and all wrong stemmed from society. This philosophy encouraged people that they could perfect the world by perfecting society. Together, the Second Great Awakening and Transcendentalism initiated reform in the 19th century. For example, the war on liquor, known by many as the temperance movement, ensued in the 1820s. In the movements beginning, reformers only spoke of moderation. At the time, annual alcohol consumption was relatively high; in 1825