With the decay of the Puritan clergy, in wake of the Salem Witch Trials, the main.
elements of religious zeal fell into decline. In the backcountry, religion was becoming.
primitive. Preachers were described as " ignorant wretches who could not read or write",.
and "a gang of lunatics". In light of this spiritual decay came engelistic preachers like the.
Congregationalists Johnathan Edwards and George Whitefield. Their preaching through.
sermons, such as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and "Gales of Heavenly Wind".
brought followers into a different state of mind. Often people would fall to the ground in.
a faint, or cry aloud that they really did feel the power and love of God. These preachers.
of The Great Awakening made Hell real and vivid, and taught of a vengeful God.
The Great Awakening began in the middle colonies in the late 1730's and spread.
to New England and some areas in the south. One of the main preachers of this revival.
was Johnathan Edwards. He declared that people would not be saved for eternal life just.
by attending services and praying regularly. They had to "feel" their sinfulness and feel.
the need to open themselves up to God's spirit. Other ministers, such as George.
Whitefield and Gilbert Tennent believed and preached in this same way.
As a result of The Great Awakening, many new beliefs arose in the eyes of the.
colonists. People began to believe that different beliefs should not be encouraged or.
tolerated. Most people believed that the government should force religious authority as.
they did in England. People also began to take sides to the revival. The "New Lights".
supported it and the "Old Lights" were against it. The "New Lights" began to reach out in.
the south to the unchurched members, such as slaves and people who lived in the.
backcountry. As a result of this Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists began to flourish.
in the south and are still very present.
In conclusion, The Great Awakening was the largest religious revival in American.
