Difference Between Enlightenment And The Great Awakening

After the terrible outcomes of the Salem Witch Trials, there came a new wave of reasoning and religious freedom, that questioned the authority of the British and the Puritan church. These two movements were known as the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening which stirred and encouraged the idea of revolution. The Enlightenment was “a philosophical movement that called for using reason and science to find truth.” In addition, it affected “political thoughts” and lead many colonists to debate about the authority of the British and their rules. In the meantime, another tremendous movement came forth known as the Great Awakening, which was considered as a spiritual reasoning. This movement changed spiritual beliefs and weakened the strict Puritans
rule. A distinguished leader during this event, Jonathan Edwards “preached that people must acknowledge their sinfulness and feel God’s love for them.” this deeply italicized emotion and brought new religious groups including Baptist and Methodists. These two evolutionary developments transfigured people's views and opinions about society and lead many people to search for basic human rights and the true importance of an individual. Moreover, these events brought on a stirring of freedom that eventually lead to the Revolutionary War to The United States.