Second Great Awakening Influence

The Second Great Awakening, was one that once again sparked religion. It helped people come together once again under the faith, uniting them. The South began to create emotional camp meeting, where 1000’s would gather in search of religion whether it came in the form of Baptism, Presbyterianism, or Methodist faith. The camps provided an outlet for rural people, and those whose lives were lonely. Although, not all aspects of these camps were as ‘holy’ and pure as one would imagine. Those who acted out of line, drinking and being rowdy, were “struck down” by the pulpit. Even still, the camper’s intentions were good, fostering the rural societies to raise morals, improve lifestyle, and ended up heavily affecting the South. In the North, reformist tendencies were more evident, forming of societies devoted to the redemption of the human race. This led to anti-slavery motions, opposite to the south whom believed that even the bible said slavery was justifiable. To sum it up, the North’s interpretation of the Second Great Awakening was to be a better person.

The Second Great Awakening took the form of mission groups such as the American Home Missionary Society, and American Bible Society. This spawned abolitionists, suffragists, and the temperance movement. Overall, it got people involved, and motivated. In short, the Second Great Awakening set the tone in the North, West, and South, that would influence their decisions in the future. In the South, they were heavily religious, pro-slavery, which was a stark contrast to the south who not only was against slavery, but was also not as heavily into religion. The West, remained neutral on both aspects which would ultimately lead to tension in the future. The Second Great Awakening set forth not on ideas that would change the course of history at the time, but ones that would change the course of history