The First Great Awakening And The Age Of Enlightenment

Throughout history, literature has served as a prominent tool in the examination of social values, ideas, and dreams. In addition, literature has provided a vital connection between historical, social, and political events. Through the incorporation of religious principles and philosophies, writers have discovered a way to portray different time periods, characters, feelings, and most importantly God. As the Age of Enlightenment gradually came to an end, the British American colonists were ready to progress beyond the ideology of human reason and depend solely on biblical revelation. During the eighteenth century, a great movement known as the First Great Awakening swept through Protestant Europe and America, leaving a permanent impact on†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, new light preachers gradually began preaching democratic messages which helped make the American colonies more democratic during the eighteenth century. The Great Awakening also helped establish four educational institutions: Princeton University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, and Rutgers University (Britannica). Lastly, from a religious aspect, the Great Awakening brought a great division between many religious denominations, resulting in the splitting of old light and new light preachers. One of the most influential writers and new light preachers was Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was born into an Orthodox family on October 5th, 1703, in the city of East Windsor, Connecticut. As a child, Jonathan Edwards had constant exposure to the teachings of the Bible and Christian theology, as well as having the opportunity to learn a variety of languages such as Greek and Latin (University). Throughout his childhood, Edwards received an adequate and excellent education from his father and ten sisters, so that he could be prepared to attend college and earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees in philosophy and theology. Furthermore, when Edwards was only eleven years old, he wrote his first piece of scientific literature titled â€Å"Flying Spider,† in which he accurately portrayed scientific observation and marvelous literary skillsShow MoreRelatedThe Enlighment and the Great Awakening Influence on the American Revolution741 Words   |  3 PagesBoth the Enlightenment and the Great awakening caused the colonists to alter their views about government, the role of government, as well as society at large which ultimately and collectively helped to motivate the colonists to revolt against England. The Enlightenment was vital in almost every part of the founding of America, which included everything from government, to politics itself, as well as religion. 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