AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: The Second Great Awakening (Day 110/309)

Welcome to today’s explanation of the Second Great Awakening in my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Growth of Denominations, Wikimedia Commons

In the antebellum period, a religious revival movement swept the United States and increased participation in religious communities and new denominations emerged.

“The Way of Good & Evil” John Hailer, 1862

As democracy expanded to the “common man,” there was an increased emphasis on spiritual egalitarianism. The view that all souls are equal led to the belief that all people can be saved and fueled efforts to spread Christianity.

The Circuit Rider, NCPedia

Itinerant preachers, or circuit riders, used “camp meetings,” homes, meetinghouses, and churches to bring their message to rural farmlands and frontier territories. They shifted away from formalities and emphasized emotional enthusiasm to obtain conversions.

Camp Meeting of Methodists, Wikimedia Commons

A region in New York became called the “burned over district” as residents in the area had experienced so many revivals that it was said there were no more souls to awaken to the fire of spiritual conversion.

During the Second Great Awakening, there was a significant increase in commitment to Christianity by many Americans. The shift away from rigid practices to emotional messages contributed this development.

Join me tomorrow as I explain the Temperance Movement in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!