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Second Great Awakening And Transcendentalism

1043 Words5 Pages

Alejandro Garcia
Dr. Haas
History 102
21 April 2016
The New America
The Constitution of America clearly states in the first amendment that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise”. As a result from this, throughout the 1790s until the 1830s many religious rose up and became known by the power of this amendment. This rise of different religious that really shook America and change the country forever is known as the Second Great Awakening. At the beginning of the American revolution the largest well known religious in America known at that time were the Congregationalist, who are related to the earlier people who came to America know as the Puritans, Anglicans as well those known …show more content…

Another big reform that took place was Transcendentalism which was mainly about praising the divine equality of each soul. Unlike many other religions that believe in predestination, transcendentalism there is no real division between saved and damned,anyone could have a transcendent experience and could connected to the spiritual world based on their lifestyle. Transcendentalism was a very comforting ideal as a philosophy for a nation like America which believes that all men are created equal and have the same inalienable rights. The transcendentalist movement began to cross paths with the antebellum efforts toward social reform as perceived in that point of view, that if all men and women were spiritually equal from birth as they believed, all men and women must deserve to be treated with social and political equality as well no matter who they …show more content…

However, Transcendentalism was extremely against the rise of the every and any scientific method that was placed most value on material facts rather than any spiritual ideals. Very few Transcendentalists, were involved in the growing disputes between labor and capital,also the reformation of asylums and penitentiaries, or other matters on a reformist agenda.Many Transcendentalists because of this basic belief became involved in efforts to reverse conditions that prevented individuals from realizing their full potential.
Comparing many reforms, they all seemed to have very common themes and assumptions, one of the most important of the similarities was how each reform would be very passionate about their belief that individuals are able to act as free decision makers, capable of choosing right from wrong, and not be manipulated by anyone who can use them as puppets that tell them what to think see and believe. This logic helps explain the close connection between abolitionists and reforms such as the women’s rights

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