Colionies motivation for colonization
Pure New England . New England held true to the most protestant values of the old world by rooting them in this colony. The idea that the Church must be purged to the most pure form of religion was manifested in this colony unfortunately it lead to problems of persecution for other peoples who did not hold the same values as these puritans, groups such as catholics and quakers were despised and often discriminated against.
The city on the hill of the new world Massachsetts was a huge religious colony and was thought of as the golden example by John Winthrop who anted all eyes of the new world to be set upon the bay colony as paramount for each colony.
Maryland’s safe Penn colonies like Maryland and Pennsylvania were created to help groups that were discriminated against-any group, not just based on religion- to escape from the scorn of society. Maryland was a haven, or “heaven” for Catholics. Pennsylvania was a haven for anyone-but mostly quakers. It was founded by William Penn- a man of great valor. Here the “hold experiment” was established in order to put Quaker practices into practice.
The Rhode island split Rhode island was founded by Roger Williams, who was concerned with the mistreatment of natives as well as the affairs of the church in the matters of civil government, that’s why Rhode island was essentially founded on the idea of a separation of church and state which was unheard of in any other colonies but lead to the current political system we have today.
The Great awakening(s)
Both the great awakenings were significant for the relationship of America and religion. In a sense it helped them to grow more united to each other. The first bout of this close bondage was in the 1730’s and 1740’s which helped to revive the enthusiasm for religion in the colonies where it was dwindling at the time. It pulled away from traditional values of religious values at the time and began to preach an acceptance and need of all for the salvation of Jesus Christ. It made religion for the commoner instead of just for the saint and resulted in a large outturn of membership in the church. It helped to moisten the dryness that religion was experiencing in America and to obtain higher respect and hold a greater sense or importance in America than it did before the colonies decided to wake up and listen to rivialists.
The second great awakening began in 1790 and lasted until the early 1800’s. it was a protestant reform movement and sought to debunk ideas such as deism, skeptism, and nationalism. If America and religion were a married couple this would be the stage of saving it from a divorce, new thoeries and ideas stared pouring into America changing ideals and levels of importance of various things. Religion was getting tossed onto the backburner, what to do, what to do? A revival of religion of a sort was in line, to raise it from the dead. And so they did, women were a big part of this revolution in religion, women helped to shape America for the “second coming of Christ” which was feared would end tragically with the inconsolable evils that American society held.
Ghost dancing
the ghost dance movement was a group of native American tribes in the 1880,s who adopted a spiritual ritual known as the ghost dance which included inter and outer tribal cooperation as well as clean living and honesty. This movement helped to strengthen the natives so that other peoples interference with the tribes were not as affective on their culture. It lead to a spiritual revival among native tribes that continued throughout the twentieth century.
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism was an attempt to apply science to society, using darwins theories of natural selection/ survival of the fittest and putting them up to human races. This was a big deal because it conflicted with common religious beliefs of the time. Not only that but it also now provided and excuse for discrimination in society with individuals claiming that inequalities of wealth or social status were a result of the natural process of survival of the fittest.
Gospel of wealth
1899.This did not have so much to do with religion as it did with generosity of the rich and the prosperity of society. Andrew Carnegie came up with this idea that wealth should be spent on the common good rather than frivolousy wasted. He also believed that a sort of social drawin, or laissez- faire as the french called it, approach to social issues