Religion and Reform Flashcards
What role did religion play in reform movements and debates about slavery?
-Second Great Awakening
—Proslavery Christianity
—Antislavery Christianity
-Proslavery Christianity
—Evangelicalism in Mississippi
-Emergence of the Black Church
-Nat Turner & Christian-inspired slave rebellion
18th century Abolition
-1688 Germantown Quaker Petition: First antislavery Protest written in the Americas
-Led by Quakers, Enlightenment thinkers and Evangelicals
-1808: Transatlantic slave trade ends
-Gradual abolition in the North: state-based and mostly secular; gradual emancipation
The 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition was the first formal antislavery protest written in the Americas, marking a significant moment in the history of the abolition movement. This petition was created by a group of Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, who opposed the practice of slavery, arguing it was morally wrong and against their religious beliefs. The petition laid the foundation for future antislavery efforts, which would be led by Quakers, Enlightenment thinkers, and Evangelicals who were influenced by ideas of human equality and natural rights.
By 1808, the transatlantic slave trade was officially abolished by the United States, marking the end of the importation of slaves from Africa. However, slavery continued to exist in the Southern states, and efforts for its abolition remained focused primarily in the North.
In the North, the abolition of slavery occurred more gradually and was often state-based. Most of the gradual emancipation laws were secular, driven by political and social pressures rather than religious mandates.
Missouri Compromise (1820)
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a significant legislative agreement aimed at resolving the growing sectional tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery in the United States. It was prompted by Missouri’s application for statehood and the question of whether it would be admitted as a free or slave state.
The key provisions of the Missouri Compromise were:
Missouri was admitted as a slave state, which maintained the balance of power between free and slave states in the Senate.
Maine was admitted as a free state, which offset Missouri’s admission and kept the balance of free and slave states equal.
A line known as the 36°30’ parallel was drawn across the Louisiana Territory. Slavery was prohibited north of this line (except in Missouri) and permitted south of it. This created a geographical division between areas where slavery would be allowed and where it would not.
While the Missouri Compromise temporarily eased tensions, it highlighted the growing divide over slavery. The compromise was later effectively undone by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed for popular sovereignty to determine whether slavery would be allowed in new territories, and ultimately by the Dred Scott decision in 1857, which declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.
Second Great Awakening
-Refers to the religious revivals that swept through the United States in the first half of the 19th century
-“Democratization” of religion:
—De-emphasis of education & orthodox theology
—Focus on the “New Birth” (conversion experience)
—Personal bible study is central
—Camp Meetings
-Methodists, Baptists, Mormons, Presbyterians, etc.
-Emergence of the Black Church
“Evangelical” Christianity in the 19th c.
- “Evangel” = Gospel (the “good news” that Christ has died to save us from sin)
2.Experience of conversion (based on awareness of sin)
3.Moralism/Self-Regulation
- Relationship to the world: should you hold yourself apart from the world or try to change it?
Evangelical Christianity in the 19th century had a significant impact on religious, social, and political life, especially in the United States. Evangelicals were deeply influenced by a focus on personal salvation and moral behavior, which shaped many reform movements of the time.
“Evangel” = Gospel: The term “Evangelical” comes from the Greek word evangelion, meaning “good news” or gospel, referring to the belief that Christ’s death was a sacrifice to save humanity from sin. This message of redemption through faith in Jesus Christ was central to Evangelical Christianity.
Experience of Conversion: Evangelicalism emphasized the personal experience of conversion, which was often marked by a strong awareness of sin and a dramatic, emotional realization of one’s need for salvation. This moment of conversion, or “being born again,” was considered essential to one’s Christian faith.
Moralism/Self-Regulation: Evangelicals believed that true Christianity involved a moral life and self-regulation. They encouraged personal discipline, with an emphasis on living a righteous life, avoiding sin, and adhering to Christian values in daily actions. This focus on moral behavior led many Evangelicals to advocate for social reforms like the abolition of slavery, temperance (opposition to alcohol), and women’s rights.
Relationship to the World: Evangelical Christians grappled with whether to separate themselves from worldly concerns or to engage actively in reforming society. While some Evangelicals believed in a strict separation from worldly matters, many, especially during the Second Great Awakening, believed that Christians had a responsibility to transform society by addressing social ills, like poverty, slavery, and injustice, through activism and moral reform.
Canals & Transportation “Revolution”
-New canals and forms of transportation aided Industrialization and new markets
-BUT transportation revolution ALSO had an impact on new ideas about religion
-New York state & the “Burned Over” district
The canals and transportation revolution in the 19th century, especially with the construction of the Erie Canal, helped boost industrialization and open new markets by making transportation of goods faster and cheaper. This also sparked cultural and religious changes, particularly in New York State, where improved transportation allowed for the spread of new ideas. One area greatly affected by this was the “Burned-Over District”, a region known for its intense religious revivalism during the Second Great Awakening. The easier movement of people and ideas led to the rise of new religious movements, such as Mormonism, fueled by the increased flow of communication and travel.
Charles Finney
-Evangelical preacher in New York State
-Performed in front of large audiences, emotional and spectacular performances
-Perfectionism
-Conformity through religion
-Slavery = sin
The “Evangelical Revolt” in Mississippi
-Settlers in Mississippi were not particularly religious in the 18th c.
-1800-1830: Second Great Awakening swept through Miss.
-Statehood in 1817
-Evangelical churches attracted poor whites and blacks
-Churches were mixed; egalitarian theology
-1830s: Increasing racism in the churches
-Emergence of proslavery theology
-1836: First biblical defense of slavery published by a Mississippian.
In the 18th century, settlers in Mississippi were not particularly religious, but between 1800 and 1830, the Second Great Awakening spread across the state, bringing a wave of evangelical religious fervor. When Mississippi gained statehood in 1817, evangelical churches began attracting poor whites and Black people, as these churches often promoted egalitarian theology that emphasized equality in the eyes of God. During this time, many churches were mixed, with both races worshipping together. However, by the 1830s, increasing racism began to influence the religious community, and a new proslavery theology emerged. In 1836, the first biblical defense of slavery was published by a Mississippian, marking a significant shift in how religion was used to justify slavery in the South.
Frederick Douglass
-Born into slavery in ~1817 or 1818 (exact date unknown)
-Raised on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland
-Wrote about the role of religion under slavery
—Criticized the hypocrisy of white slave-owning Christians
-Escaped slavery in 1838
-Became a prominent abolitionist; wrote three autobiographies
Proslavery Christianity
Proslavery Christians argued that there were biblical justification for slavery:
1.Curse of Ham
2.Old Testament references to slavery
3.New Testament makes no statement against slavery
4.Ideal of the benevolent and patriarchal Christian household
Proslavery Christians in the South argued that slavery was justified by several biblical references and ideas:
Curse of Ham: Proponents of slavery often cited the biblical story of Noah’s curse on Ham, which they interpreted as God’s punishment of Ham’s descendants, believed to be Africans, with a life of servitude.
Old Testament references to slavery: Slavery was mentioned in the Old Testament, with rules and guidelines for enslaved people, suggesting that it was an accepted practice in biblical times.
New Testament silence on slavery: Supporters argued that while the New Testament did not explicitly condemn slavery, it instead focused on other spiritual matters, implying that slavery was not a moral issue that needed to be addressed.
Benevolent, patriarchal Christian household: Slavery was framed as part of the Christian ideal of a benevolent and patriarchal household, where slave owners were seen as protectors and caretakers of their slaves, likening the master-slave relationship to a father’s relationship with his children.
Anti-slavery Christianity
-Slavery contradicts the principle of benevolence; Golden Rule
-Slavery creates cruelty
-Humans can only be moral if they are FREE to make their own choices.
-Slavery = Sin
-Perfectionism: Humans could wipe sin & slavery from the face of the earth
Anti-slavery Christianity argued that slavery was incompatible with Christian values, using several key moral principles to oppose it:
Contradiction of benevolence and the Golden Rule: Anti-slavery Christians believed that slavery violated the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”), as enslaved people were denied the same rights and dignity as others.
Slavery creates cruelty: They argued that slavery inevitably led to cruelty and inhumane treatment, as it dehumanized enslaved people and encouraged abusive behavior by slave owners.
Freedom to choose is essential for morality: Anti-slavery Christians maintained that true morality could only exist when individuals were free to make their own choices, and slavery denied people this fundamental freedom.
Slavery is sin: They viewed slavery as a sin, believing it was morally wrong and inconsistent with Christian teachings about love, equality, and justice.
Perfectionism: Influenced by the idea of Christian perfectionism, they believed that humans could work to eliminate sin, including slavery, from the world and create a more just society.
Emergence of the Black Church
-Reaction to escalating racism in the churches
-Richard Allen: founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in 1816
-Black churches spread throughout the north and the south
Nat Turner
-Born into slavery ~1800
-1828: Baptized outside of the “white” church
-Had numerous visions in which the Holy Spirit told him to prepare for battle.
-August 22, 1831: Turner’s Rebellion
-Turner captured on October 30; his “Confessions” are recorded by Thomas R. Gray
-Executed on November 11, 1831
Nat Turner was born into slavery around 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. In 1828, he was baptized outside of the “white” church, marking a significant moment in his spiritual life. Turner believed he was chosen by the Holy Spirit, experiencing numerous visions that instructed him to prepare for a divine battle against the oppression of slavery. These visions led to the planning of Turner’s Rebellion, which began on August 22, 1831, when Turner and a group of followers rose up, killing around 60 white people in a violent attempt to overthrow the system of slavery.
Turner was captured on October 30, and during his imprisonment, his Confessions were recorded by Thomas R. Gray, in which he described his motivations and religious visions. Nat Turner was executed on November 11, 1831, but his rebellion and his bold defiance against slavery made him a symbol of resistance and a source of fear for the South. His uprising intensified the South’s resolve to crack down on slave revolts, leading to harsher laws and increased repression of enslaved people.
Reactions to Nat Turner’s Revolt
-Hundreds of African Americans are murdered in the months following the rebellion.
-White paranoia about black preachers and the black church.
-Increased missionary efforts to control black Christianity.
-Increasing commitment to proslavery theology.
