CHAPTER 5
1. Jonathan Edwards – Called the founding father of theology in America. In the 1730s, he
ignited the Great Awakening, which was a religious revival in essence. He claimed that
salvation through good works was ludicrous, and that people needed a complete
dependence on God’s grace. He was forceful in the way he portrayed things, one of which
is a landscape of hell, in which he painted the eternal torments and the pain and suffering of
hell.
2. Benjamin Franklin – Made a significant contribution by setting up the first college in
America free from denominational control, later renamed the University of Pennsylvania. He
was also renowned in literature, writing books like Poor Richard’s Almanack, and also for
his adages. He had a major part in shaping the American character. Franklin’s kite-flying
lightning episode won him awards in Europe, but was condemned by the Church, who
believed it was against God.
3. Michel Guillaume Jean de Crèvecoeur – A French settler who was part of a multicultural American national identity. He posed the question, “What then is the American, this
new man?” In this question, he pondered on the question of, basically, what defines an
American? America was now filled with many different cultures, from African slaves to
Indians.
4. George Whitefield – A revolutionary preacher who changed spiritual life in America. He
had a “magnificent voice” that impressed many people to donate and give to the church. He
inspired many people to purge their sins and convert to the religion.
5. John Peter Zenger – A newspaper printer who was involved in a legal case in 17341735. Zenger wrote that a corrupted royal governor was charged with seditious libel and
was brought to court, defended by a lawyer. Zenger claimed to have written the truth, and
the royal chief justice told everyone the governor was guilty because it was printed in press.
However, Hamilton, the accused, countered Zenger by swaying the jury with his eloquence
and telling them that he was not guilty. The jury eventually opposed the judge and returned
a verdict of not guilty.
6. Phillis Wheatley – A slave girl poet who was brought to Boston at the age of eight.
Although she was never formally educated, she was able to write poetry with mastery,
which was significantly contrasted with her time, in which Colonial literature was generally
undistinguished.
7. John S. Copley – A famous painter. He was forced to move to England because
America didn’t really approve of art. In England, he could find many people who enjoyed art.
8. Paxton Boys – A group of Scots-Irish people who protested the Quaker’s lenient policy
toward the Indians. They made an armed march towards Philadelphia in 1764.
9. Great Awakening – Started by Jonathan Edwards in the 1730s and 1740s in
Massachusetts. He said that salvation could be achieved through faith in God, not by doing
good works.
10. Catawba Nation –
11. Rack-renting –
12. Regulator Movement – A small but nasty insurrection against the eastern domination
of the colony’s affairs.
13. Old and new lights – The old lights were orthodox clergymen who were skeptical of the
new ways of preaching, like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards. The new lights
defended the Awakening and said that it played a major role in revitalizing American
religion.
14. Triangular trade – A trade system between Africa, the Carribean, and the European
colonial powers. A typical trip would go from Europe carrying rum to Africa. In Africa, the
merchant would sell the rum for slaves and set off for the West Indies. There, they would
sell the slaves for molasses, which would be sold once they got back to Europe.
15. Molasses Act – The rapidly growing population of America demanded more trade from
Britain, but the British population was growing slowly. Because of this, America started
trading with foreign countries, namely the West Indies. However, the British West Indian
planters wanted the Americans to stop trading with the French West Indian planters, so in
1773, Parliament passed the Molasses act, preventing America from trading with the
French. However, America got around this by smuggling goods.
16. Scots-Irish – About 7% of the population, around 175,000. In 1764, they led the Paxton
Boys march and started the Regulator Movement. They were known to be very
independent, which is probably why many later became American revolutionists.
17. Naval stores – Better known as pine tar, it was used to build and repair British ships.