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American Culture

American Culture. Section 3.3. Main Idea. Enlightenment ideas and the Great Awakening brought new ways of thinking to the colonists, and a unique American culture developed. Great Awakening. Focus on work and wealth distracted colonists away from their religious faiths.

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American Culture

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  1. American Culture Section 3.3

  2. Main Idea • Enlightenment ideas and the Great Awakening brought new ways of thinking to the colonists, and a unique American culture developed.

  3. Great Awakening • Focus on work and wealth distracted colonists away from their religious faiths. • In the 1730s colonists began to rediscover their spiritual freedom. • The GA became a major religious revival. • Preacher Jonathan Edwards lead the revivals by emphasizing a personal relationship with God. • Edwards also scared Christians into moral behavior by describing the terrors of hell.

  4. Revivals

  5. Great Awakening • Importance • Increase in church membership • New Protestant denominations (Methodists, Baptists) • Founding of new colleges • United many colonists

  6. Enlightenment • New scientific advancements in the 1500s and 1600s + discovery of the New World lead to challenges in traditional European ways of thinking. • Philosophers in the 1700s began to question religion, politics, and the economics of the time.

  7. John Locke • Theorized the idea that all humans are born with “natural rights” that no king or clergy (church leader) can morally deny. • Also pioneered the social contract theory: government should protect citizens rights or be overthrown.

  8. Baron de Montesquieu • Concerned with tyrannical kings, he suggested separation of powers. • Instead of an all powerful king, government should be divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent the abuse of power.

  9. Other Enlightenment Ideas • Changes to crime and punishment • Diesm is the belief in a God that created the earth and it’s natural laws, but was not concerned with human behavior. • Educational reforms • Rights for women and minorities.

  10. Enlightenment in America • A young Thomas Jefferson read the philosophers work with intrigue. • He, along with other leaders would use these ideas when creating our new nation. • The best known colonial American was Benjamin Franklin. • Franklin experimented with science as well as publishing books. • Franklin’s worldwide fame would be crucial for the colonies during the Revolution.

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