The Influence of the Protestant Religion on the American...

The origins, aims and course of the American Revolution were influenced by a number of factors. The causes of the American Revolution have been put down to economic, social and political factors, which have then continued to influence the course and finally the outcome of Americas conflict with Britain. Economic factors concerning trade and slavery have been put down to being part of the cause of the American Revolution. Yet historians have often debated the influence that Protestantism had on the revolution. The majority of the population of the colonies were Puritan but there were various diverse angles of religion. The two largest churches were the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists, but†¦show more content†¦It was not based upon the academic, tradition approach to religion that New Englanders had been used to but encouraged people to take a more liberated idea regarding Protestantism: Their preaching presented a powerful challenge to the highly structured and insti tutionalised lives that New Englanders had led.[3] The Great Awakening could arguably be seen as the beginning of defiance against the old regime and a casting off of traditional values. It was possibly the start of new ideas not only concerning religion but also government, and was based upon a more rationalised, logical thinking in comparison to traditional values. Historians such as Alan Heimert[4] consider the Great Awakening to be the source of American nationalism and therefore contributed considerably to the ideology of revolutionaries in the run up prior to the American War of Independence. Yet the significance of this has been contested by other historians. For instance John F. Wilson undermines Heimerts claims that the Great Awakening did indeed contribute to the onset of the American Revolution. Religion had at this time undoubtedly played a considerable role in European history and much of this religiousShow MoreRelatedFreedom of Religion: THe Maryland Toleration Act Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesFreedom of religion was first applied as a principle in the founding of the Maryland Colony in 1634. The Maryland Toleration Act, drafted by Lord Baltimore, provided: No person or persons...shall from henceforth be any waies troubled, molested or discountenanced for or in respect of his or her religion nor in the free exercise thereof. The Maryland Toleration Act was repealed with the assistance of Protestant assemblymen and a new law barring Catholics from openly practicing their religion was passedRead MoreInfluence Of Science And Religion1564 Words   |  7 Pages1. Q) Compare and contrast the influence of science and religion in the development of humanity. Discuss both the positive and the negative. A) The systematic testing of observations, and the belief of something larger than ourselves, have been part of the human experience since time began. Both science and religion have influenced human thought and civilization. When a question could not be answered by time and observation, people fell back on spiritual explanationsRead MoreHumanities Questions and Answers1043 Words   |  4 Pages Q1. Take and defend a position in the debate around Webers Protestant Ethic Thesis. According to Max Weber, the Protestant Revolution was a significant ideological development in the history of capitalism, not simply religion. The idea that salvation could be attained by works of the faith alone enabled people to separate their economic, secular life from their private religious life. Contrary to medieval belief, religious vocations were no longer considered superior to economic vocationsRead MoreReligious, Social, Philosophical, And Political Upheaval1394 Words   |  6 Pagesremained entrenched in organized religion at a state level, Enlightenment ideas emphasizing human reason brought about a new epistemological ideology, called deism (Duiker, 463). While this previously unfamiliar philosophy failed to replace the dominant Protestant or Catholic religions of established nations, revolutionist movements toward the end of the 1700s fully embraced deism. In fact, leaders of both the American (1776-1781) and French (1789-1815) revolutions saw these ideals as the ba sis forRead MoreComparing the French Revolution and the American Revolution Essay example857 Words   |  4 Pages The French and American revolutions are both very significant in the world’s history. The American Revolution happened first, around the last half of the 18th century where the Thirteen Colonies became the United States of America, and gained independence from the British Empire. The French revolution on the other hand, was from 1789 until the turn of the century 1799. For the French people this was a period of political and social turmoil. The idea of Enlightenment stuck a large populationRead MoreSettling The Northern Colonies : Big Picture Themes1676 Words   |  7 Pagessought to purify the Anglican Church of Roman Catholic influence. Separatists- Dedicated Puritans who didn t want to intermingle with those who are damned and those who are saved. Quakers- nonviolent colonists who were settled in the colony of Pennsylvania. (led by William Penn, who purchased a land grant from the King of England) Protestant Ethic- the hard work ethic that arose in the Puritan colonies that would eventually morph into the American work ethic. Mayflower Compact 1620- Written by theRead MoreThe legacy of the renaissance1566 Words   |  7 Pagesfigure of the renaissance was the Architect (Andrea Palladio) born in the year 1508, Palladio was a master architect and is often described as the most influential and copied architect in the Western world. Palladio used classical architecture to influence his style and that is what makes him a key figure of the renaissance period. Since the renaissance was based on classical ideals. By the 1540s, Palladio was using classical principles to design a series of country villas and urban palaces for theRead MoreComparing Colonial Virginia and Colonial New Englands Effect on American Character 651 Words   |  3 PagesI believe colonial New England had more of an effect on the American character than Virginia for several reasons. First they promoted more of the values that have transcended into modern day America such as religious toleration, their educational ideas and their focus on t he importance of family. And we shouldn’t forget the fact that the American Revolution began in New England so in essence the America we know today would not exist without New England. First off, colonial New England wasRead MoreGreat Awakening Reflection932 Words   |  4 Pagesactual effect of the sermon on people. In addition, perspectives of slaves, women, Native Americans, and non-protestants are missing. Another potential problem is that â€Å"Sinners† is not a typical sermon. It differs a lot from Edwards’ other sermons in ideologies and emotions provoked so that I might not learn about typical effects sermons had on people at that time. More importantly, my present values influence my perception of the sermon. Since I have some difficulty to interpret key words like â€Å"wicked†Read MoreThe Declaration Of Independence By John Locke1294 Words   |  6 Pagesoff such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. – The Declaration of Independence John Locke, perhaps the greatest single influence on early American political thought, studied and articulated truths that had been simply assumed. His experiences during the English Civil War and efforts to bring about the Glorious Revolution led him to search for ways to legitimize resistance to an overbearing king. His final argument, the Second Treatise of Government, clarifies British