🪶American Literature – Before 1860 Unit 4 – Great Awakening & Enlightenment in America

Historical Context

• The Great Awakening and Enlightenment occurred in the 18th century, a time of significant religious, intellectual, and social change in the American colonies
• The First Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) was a religious revival movement that emphasized personal faith, emotional experience, and the importance of individual salvation
• The Enlightenment, which originated in Europe, promoted reason, individualism, and skepticism towards traditional authority, including religious institutions
• Colonial America experienced rapid population growth, economic development, and the emergence of distinct regional cultures during this period
• The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) resulted in British victory over France, solidifying British control of North America but also leading to increased tensions between the colonies and the mother country

Key Figures and Thinkers

• Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan theologian and preacher, played a central role in the First Great Awakening with his powerful sermons, such as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
• George Whitefield, an English evangelist, traveled throughout the colonies, attracting large crowds and spreading the message of the Great Awakening
• Benjamin Franklin, a prominent Enlightenment thinker, embodied the values of reason, practicality, and self-improvement in his writings and scientific pursuits
  • Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanack" popularized Enlightenment ideas and promoted virtues such as thrift, hard work, and self-reliance
• Thomas Paine, a political activist and writer, argued for American independence and challenged traditional religious beliefs in works like "Common Sense" and "The Age of Reason"
• John Locke, an English philosopher, influenced Enlightenment thought in America with his ideas about natural rights, individual liberty, and the social contract

Major Ideas and Concepts

• The Great Awakening emphasized the importance of personal religious experience, the need for a "new birth" or spiritual regeneration, and the equality of all believers before God
• The Enlightenment promoted reason as the primary source of knowledge and authority, challenging traditional religious and political institutions
• Deism, a religious philosophy that gained popularity during the Enlightenment, held that God created the universe but does not intervene in its operations, which can be understood through reason and observation
• The concept of natural rights, as articulated by John Locke and others, held that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, which governments are obligated to protect
• The social contract theory, which held that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed, provided a philosophical basis for challenging British authority and advocating for American independence

Literary Movements and Styles

• The Great Awakening gave rise to a new style of preaching and religious literature, characterized by emotional appeals, vivid imagery, and a focus on personal salvation
  • Sermons, such as those by Jonathan Edwards, employed rhetorical techniques to convey the urgency of spiritual renewal and the consequences of sin
• Enlightenment literature emphasized clarity, simplicity, and the power of reason, as exemplified by the writings of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine
• Political pamphlets and essays, such as Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and mobilizing support for the American Revolution
• Autobiographical and personal narratives, such as Franklin's "Autobiography," reflected Enlightenment values of self-examination, self-improvement, and the pursuit of practical knowledge
• The Enlightenment also influenced the development of American poetry, with poets like Philip Freneau and John Trumbull incorporating neoclassical elements and themes of liberty and patriotism

Important Texts and Works

• "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" (1741) by Jonathan Edwards, a famous sermon that exemplifies the intense, emotional style of Great Awakening preaching
• "Poor Richard's Almanack" (1732-1758) by Benjamin Franklin, a series of annual publications containing practical advice, proverbs, and Enlightenment ideas
• "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" (1791), an influential work that recounts Franklin's life, pursuits, and values, embodying the Enlightenment spirit of self-improvement
• "Common Sense" (1776) by Thomas Paine, a political pamphlet that argued for American independence and challenged the legitimacy of British rule
• "The Age of Reason" (1794-1807) by Thomas Paine, a critique of organized religion and a defense of deism and rational inquiry

Social and Cultural Impact

• The Great Awakening contributed to the democratization of religion in America, challenging the authority of established churches and emphasizing individual faith and equality before God
  • This religious fervor also fueled the growth of new denominations, such as Baptists and Methodists, which would play significant roles in American religious life
• The Enlightenment promoted the spread of education, scientific inquiry, and public discourse, laying the foundation for American intellectual and political culture
• Enlightenment ideas about natural rights, liberty, and self-governance influenced the American Revolution and the formation of the United States
  • The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution reflect Enlightenment principles, such as the social contract and the protection of individual rights
• The Great Awakening and Enlightenment also had complex effects on marginalized groups in colonial America
  • While the egalitarian impulses of these movements challenged some forms of social hierarchy, they often failed to extend full equality to women, African Americans, and Native Americans

Connections to Later American Literature

• The influence of the Great Awakening can be seen in the works of later American writers, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, who emphasized individual spiritual experience and self-reliance
• Enlightenment ideas about reason, progress, and the power of the individual continued to shape American literature throughout the 19th century, as evident in the works of authors like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
• The democratic and egalitarian impulses of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment influenced the development of American Romanticism and Transcendentalism in the early-to-mid 19th century
• The legacy of the American Revolution and the nation's founding documents, which were shaped by Enlightenment principles, would remain a central theme in American literature, from the works of James Fenimore Cooper to those of Mark Twain and beyond

Key Takeaways and Modern Relevance

• The Great Awakening and Enlightenment were pivotal movements that transformed the religious, intellectual, and political landscape of colonial America
• These movements emphasized the importance of individual experience, reason, and natural rights, challenging traditional forms of authority and laying the groundwork for the American Revolution and the formation of the United States
• The ideas and values of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment continue to shape American culture and public discourse, from ongoing debates about the role of religion in public life to discussions of individual liberty and the limits of government power
• The legacy of these movements can be seen in the enduring influence of figures like Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine, whose works remain widely read and studied
• Understanding the Great Awakening and Enlightenment provides crucial context for appreciating the development of American literature, as well as the nation's political and intellectual history