FROM PLYMOUTH TO FIRST GREAT AWAKENING

As Massachusetts Bay grew/advanced, cracks began to form and widen

Economic successes (increase in fur trading, fishing, ship building, etc.) opened opportunities outside of church community

Conflicts with England (King Charles II and James II) led to charter being revoked (1684) and greater English control of colonial life New charter was approved in 1691, but voting rights were no longer

based on church membership Church became less central to daily functioning and governing of colony

Successive generations lost fervent zeal of original settlers

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Salem witchcraft trails (1692) – mass hysteria; neighbor turning on neighbor; resulted in the execution of nineteen people

Led to First Great Awakening (1739-45) Jonathan Edwards

“Edwards became a master at the art of persuading his congregations that it could – and must – posses this intense awareness of humanity’s precarious condition”

“People are motivated entirely by self-love, and that it is only supernatural grace that alters their depravity”

Denial of self

“Spirit of revivalism transformed complacent believers”