CH 15
Key Terms
The Age of Reason- Thomas Paine’s anticlerical treatise that accused churches of seeking to acquire “power and profit” and to “enslave mankind”
Deism- 18th century religious doctrine that emphasized reasoned moral behavior and the scientific pursuit of knowledge. Most deists rejected biblical inerrancy and the divinity of Christ, but they did believe that a Supreme Being created the universe
Unitarians- Believe in a unitary deity, reject the divinity of Christ, and emphasize the inherent goodness of mankind. Unitarianism, inspired in part by Deism, first caught on in New England at the end of the 18th century
Second Great Awakening- Religious revival characterized by emotional mass “camp meetings” and widespread conversion. Brought about a democratization of religion as a multiplicity of denominations vied for members
Burned-Over District- Popular name for Western New York, a region particularly swept up in the religious fervor of the Second Great Awakening
Mormons- Religious followers of Joseph Smith, who founded a communal, oligarchic religious order in the 1830s, officially known as the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Mormons, facing deep hostility from their non-Mormon neighbors, eventually earnings and working hours to distribute work and established codes to fair competition to ensure that similar procedures were followed by all firms in any particular industrial sector.
Lyceum- Public lecture hall that hosted speakers on topics ranging from science to moral philosophy. Part of a broader flourishing of higher education in the mid 19th century
American Temperance System- Founded in Boston in 1826 as part of a growing effort of 19th century reformers to limit alcohol consumption
Maine Law of 1851- Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol, a dozen other states followed Maine’s lead, though most statutes proved ineffective and were repealed within a decade.
Woman’s Rights