 Around 1800 – 1830’s
 Revival of the Great Awakening of the early 18 th century
 Emphasis on personal piety over schooling and theology

 A religious movement during the 19 th century which expressed that every person could be saved through revivals
 Led to the formation of new denominations

Surge in church membership of Methodists and
Baptists

 Arose in several places:

New England – social activism

New York – growth of new denominations

Appalachian region (KY and TN) – energized Presbyterians,
Methodists and Baptists

Camp meetings

First in South-Central KY in June 1800

 Revival’s effects consisted of two main strains:

The virtues and behavior of the middle class – a strong work ethic, frugality – were encouraged

The ability of individuals to make changes to their lives sparked reform movements

 The movement spread through southern OH, KY, and TN
 Among Baptists, ordinary farmers frequently felt they were called by God to become preachers

The Bible Belt of the South was born

 The Second Great Awakening left a lasting impact on
American Society

Established Churches

Social Reform

 In the early 1800’s, more than 100,000 individuals formed utopian societies
 Utopian Society – Ideal or perfect society
 1820-1860 – large attempt to create numerous communities that would serve as perfect societies

 The people that formed these communities believed that the way to a better life was to separate themselves from the corrupting influence of the larger society

Practiced cooperative or communal living and rejected the idea of private property


Mormons
 Oneida Community
 The Shakers
 New Harmony
 Brook Farm

 Located in several states
 Got their name from a ritual shaking dance that members performed
 Reached their peak in the mid-1800’s with 6,000 members


Began in England in 1747
 Led by Ann Lee – “Mother Ann”
 Lee moved with her followers to America in 1774
 The community quickly grew


Believed in absolute celibacy
 Eventually, the numbers dwindled
 3 Shakers left today
 Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, KY
– living history museum

 Community near Boston
 Based on social or political ideologies
 Founded by George Ripley in 1841
 Harmony with nature, communal living, and hard work

 Collapsed in 1846 after a huge fire destroyed a large building that was uninsured
 The Farm could not continue
 Influential in fights for women’s and labor rights