The Christian Restorations Of The Great Awakening Movement

Between 1824 and 1844, Americans began to reform their country drastically because many believed that they were being punished by God; therefore in order to return to God, many Americans looked to religion and social activism. The people looked to perfect themselves and their communities through a cultural and social revolution. America was changing in a way that it never had, and many lifestyle activities that were known as social norms were questioned and challenged. This was the age of reform because many groups of people decided to reform society by breaking away from society and reorganizing within their own communities to create social and economic change. These groups of people, known as Utopians, wanted to restore social harmony,

This movement was geared towards religiously and spiritually saving people before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Society organized in churches and revival meetings to self-improve and abandon sins, according to (Foner 343). Not only was a religious reform taking place, but all people, despite race, class, and gender were worshipping together in hopes of freeing and perfecting themselves. During this time people sought perfectionism and believed they were capable of improving throughout their entire lives with the support of religion. The revivals of the Great Awakening movement led to many other reforms such as the temperance, women’s rights, and the abolitionist

At first people urged that alcohol should be used at a moderate level, but eventually people urged that the sell and consumption of alcohol be prohibited in the United States. In 1826 the American Temperance Society was founded on the basis of prohibiting the consumption of alcohol. By 1840 the consumption of alcohol per person had fallen to less than half the level of a decade earlier, according to (Foner 436). Some Americans believed it was their moral duty to not only help themselves but help others get rid of sin by reforming those who drank alcohol; however, some critics of the temperance movement did not believe that they were any less moral than those who testified their sin of drinking in hopes of purifying themselves. Many criticized that the temperance movement was a restriction on their freedom. This temperance movement greatly reformed America because people were exploring social responsibility and