“journeyman”:
Someone who had recently completed apprenticeship and moved to find work. The ultimate goal was to become a
master craftsman and open a business, but many remained in the journeyman stage
their whole life.
Plantation Act: Passed, in 1740, the Plantation
Act provided a policy of naturalization (policy that allowed immigrants who
were Protestants and swore allegiance to the king to obtain all the benefits of
being a natural born citizen) for immigrants in all colonies, excluding
Catholics and Jews.
“Poor
Richard’s Almanac”: Almanacs were a combination of farming tips, medical
guides, a calendar, and an astrological guide. Poor Richard’s Almanac was written by
Benjamin Franklin and was influential in that it brought Enlightenment thinking
to the common people.
Congregationalists:
Members of the Puritan church which was governed by the congregation. The Puritan church was very strict and
controlling, and any religious dissidents were
exiled.
George
Whitefield: An influential Anglican preacher during the Great Awakening, he
helped bring the movement to all colonies by going on multiple preaching tours,
where crowds were awed by his powerful oratories.
He avoided differences between sects of Christianity, and encouraged
people to be Christian “in deed and truth”.
William
Tennent: An Irish born Presbyterian, Tennent established “Log College”,
a school to train evangelical preachers, in Pennsylvania. It evolved into the Collegeof New
Jersey, and today is known as Princeton University.
Also an influential minister in the Great Awakening, Tennent toured with
George
Whitefield.
“dower”:
A grant of one third of a deceased husband’s estate to his wife.
The rest of his estate was divided amongst his
heirs.
John
Locke: One of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers.
In Letter on Tolerance, he
argued that churches should only use persuasion for conversion, and that state
had no right to control religion.
He is most famous for his philosophy of reason which proposed that the
state exists to provide for the happiness and security of the peoples, and that
all people had the right to life, liberty, and
property.
Half-Way
Covenant: Because Puritans required attendance of all members of a community
and to be a member of the church, one must have had a conversion experience,
there were problems with attendance.
The Half Way Covenant offered an opportunity for people (mainly children)
to join as half-way members until their conversion experience allowed them to
become a full-fledged member.
Great
Awakening: A widespread colonial revival of Christianity.
People began to turn away from dry sermons and looked to inspired
ministers who preached with emotion.
Jonathan Edwards, George
Whitefield, and William Tennent were the major catalysts for the
awakening.
New
Lights: Presbyterians who were converted through the Great Awakening
(English Puritan background), experiential interpretation of Christian life,
true faith required conversion experience leading to moral obedience and
personal holiness. Became the
New England Primer: One of the most
influential books in American history, it was part of the most successful
literacy campaign in history. It
was published by Benjamin Harris.
Scots-Irish:
A combination of Highland Scots and Protestant Irish, the Scots-Irish migrated
to Americadue to economic hardship and
made up the majority of the population in the
backcountry.
Arminianism:
Contrasting with the theory of predestination, Arminianism holds that people can
choose salvation through good works and developing their faith.
People who held this view also saw God as a loving figure, not an angry,
punishing one.
Jonathan
Edwards: The most prominent figure of the Great Awakening, Edwards focused
on touching the hearts of the young people by appealing to their
emotions.
Old
Lights: Predominately Scots-Irish, believed that holding orthodox theology
was more important than Christian living.
Correct theological belief was the only practical sign of salvation. No emphasis on living morally.
Condemned emotional enthusiasm – personal and direct relationship with God was
heresy.
Toleration
Act: Passed by Parliament in 1689 (ordered by King Charles II), it ordered a
stop to religious persecution in Massachusetts by the Puritans, and allowed
other Protestant denominations (Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian) to meet
openly.
Revivalism:
The renewal of life in the Christian church caused by the Great Awakening. During this time period, the church was
very closely related with the state, evidenced in Connecticut when the Old Lights passed a series of laws
designed to suppress revivalism.
New Lights were thrown out of political positions, causing a public
outrage which led to the removal of the Old Lights from politics.
Revivalism was the first opportunity for the common people to make their
opinions and arguments heard on a large scale.
Questions
Someone who had recently completed apprenticeship and moved to find work. The ultimate goal was to become a
master craftsman and open a business, but many remained in the journeyman stage
their whole life.
Plantation Act: Passed, in 1740, the Plantation
Act provided a policy of naturalization (policy that allowed immigrants who
were Protestants and swore allegiance to the king to obtain all the benefits of
being a natural born citizen) for immigrants in all colonies, excluding
Catholics and Jews.
“Poor
Richard’s Almanac”: Almanacs were a combination of farming tips, medical
guides, a calendar, and an astrological guide. Poor Richard’s Almanac was written by
Benjamin Franklin and was influential in that it brought Enlightenment thinking
to the common people.
Congregationalists:
Members of the Puritan church which was governed by the congregation. The Puritan church was very strict and
controlling, and any religious dissidents were
exiled.
George
Whitefield: An influential Anglican preacher during the Great Awakening, he
helped bring the movement to all colonies by going on multiple preaching tours,
where crowds were awed by his powerful oratories.
He avoided differences between sects of Christianity, and encouraged
people to be Christian “in deed and truth”.
William
Tennent: An Irish born Presbyterian, Tennent established “Log College”,
a school to train evangelical preachers, in Pennsylvania. It evolved into the Collegeof New
Jersey, and today is known as Princeton University.
Also an influential minister in the Great Awakening, Tennent toured with
George
Whitefield.
“dower”:
A grant of one third of a deceased husband’s estate to his wife.
The rest of his estate was divided amongst his
heirs.
John
Locke: One of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers.
In Letter on Tolerance, he
argued that churches should only use persuasion for conversion, and that state
had no right to control religion.
He is most famous for his philosophy of reason which proposed that the
state exists to provide for the happiness and security of the peoples, and that
all people had the right to life, liberty, and
property.
Half-Way
Covenant: Because Puritans required attendance of all members of a community
and to be a member of the church, one must have had a conversion experience,
there were problems with attendance.
The Half Way Covenant offered an opportunity for people (mainly children)
to join as half-way members until their conversion experience allowed them to
become a full-fledged member.
Great
Awakening: A widespread colonial revival of Christianity.
People began to turn away from dry sermons and looked to inspired
ministers who preached with emotion.
Jonathan Edwards, George
Whitefield, and William Tennent were the major catalysts for the
awakening.
New
Lights: Presbyterians who were converted through the Great Awakening
(English Puritan background), experiential interpretation of Christian life,
true faith required conversion experience leading to moral obedience and
personal holiness. Became the
New England Primer: One of the most
influential books in American history, it was part of the most successful
literacy campaign in history. It
was published by Benjamin Harris.
Scots-Irish:
A combination of Highland Scots and Protestant Irish, the Scots-Irish migrated
to Americadue to economic hardship and
made up the majority of the population in the
backcountry.
Arminianism:
Contrasting with the theory of predestination, Arminianism holds that people can
choose salvation through good works and developing their faith.
People who held this view also saw God as a loving figure, not an angry,
punishing one.
Jonathan
Edwards: The most prominent figure of the Great Awakening, Edwards focused
on touching the hearts of the young people by appealing to their
emotions.
Old
Lights: Predominately Scots-Irish, believed that holding orthodox theology
was more important than Christian living.
Correct theological belief was the only practical sign of salvation. No emphasis on living morally.
Condemned emotional enthusiasm – personal and direct relationship with God was
heresy.
Toleration
Act: Passed by Parliament in 1689 (ordered by King Charles II), it ordered a
stop to religious persecution in Massachusetts by the Puritans, and allowed
other Protestant denominations (Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian) to meet
openly.
Revivalism:
The renewal of life in the Christian church caused by the Great Awakening. During this time period, the church was
very closely related with the state, evidenced in Connecticut when the Old Lights passed a series of laws
designed to suppress revivalism.
New Lights were thrown out of political positions, causing a public
outrage which led to the removal of the Old Lights from politics.
Revivalism was the first opportunity for the common people to make their
opinions and arguments heard on a large scale.
Questions