Social and Religious Conflict in the South

Question 1

What generally happened in the South with the Great Awakening? (1)

Answer 1

• Social Conflict

Question 2

What is the context in the South? (2)

Answer 2

• The minority (aka the rich planters) held the power (they held the financial power in parishes so they could punish ministers who followed the Awakening)
• Church of England was legally established
• Majority of people in the south were african americans or landless whites (60%)
• The majority of people who went to church were middling white freeholders (minority in the society - 35% of people)

Question 3

How did New Light ideas spread in the South and what was the impact? (3)

Answer 3

• People started leaving Anglican churches and Presbyterian churches became the new thing (Presbyterian revival)
• This threatened the social authority in Virginia bc the planters could no longer display and flaunt their power at church bc there was no one there to see it
• Presbyterian churches also threatened the financial support of the govt to Anglican churches

Question 4

How did the govt end the spread of New light ideas in Virginia? (4)

Answer 4

• denounced the ideas
• closed Presbyterian churches

Question 5

Who were the Baptists and what did they do? (5)

Answer 5

• Baptists = radical protestants who were centered around adult baptism and grace
• Preached democratic messages
• Converted thousands of white farm families

Question 6

Why were they controversial and what did the House of Burgesses do about it? (6)

Answer 6

• They preached to Black slaves
• Preached that all people were equal under God (threatened social distinctions)
• Condemned the luxurious lifestyle of planters
• House of Burgesses imposed heavy fines on Baptists who preached to slaves w/o permission of owners

Question 7

What started happening in response to the controversies? (7)

Answer 7

• violence against Baptists increased but Baptist congregations multiplied

Question 8

What was the impact of the insurgency? (8)

Answer 8

• Baptist men kept church authority in the hands of free born male members
• Anglican slaveholders retained control of the political system
• Baptist insurgency still made an impact on commoners by giving them spiritual meaning and empowering people to defend their economic interests
• Gave blacks a new religious identity