2. 1691 – After years of conflict, King issues new charter
for Massachusetts colony
Requires more religious tolerance
Weakens political power of the Puritans
1692 – Salem Witch Trials
Hysteria and accusations of witchcraft
Becomes “neighbor vs. neighbor” land grab
False accusations and religious extremism
Executions of innocent people; further erodes
Puritanism
3.
4. 1734 – Zenger Trial
Zenger accused of LIBEL for criticizing royal
governor
Found innocent because what he printed was
true
Established precedent of Freedom of the Press
in America
5.
Growth of major cities: Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston - cities face
challenges including fire, sanitation issues, etc.
Founding of American Universities
Harvard – 1636
Yale - 1701
Princeton – 1746
Started to train Puritan minsters, but curriculum
changes to reflect intellectual movements of the time…
6. The Enlightenment
Intellectual movement
that emphasized the use
of reason and the
scientific method to gain
knowledge.
John Locke as key
Enlightenment thinker
All people are
born with certain
rights that cannot
be taken away!
7. Locke's 3 Rights:-Life-Liberty-Property
Locke's SOCIAL CONTRACT is the basis of
MODERN DEMOCRACY - - says that
Government only has power because the people
have given it power...the job of government is to
protect the rights of the people!
8. Benjamin Franklin – Probably the greatest
Enlightenment figure in the colonies
Scientist
Writer
Political Thinker
9. The Great Awakening – Period of religious revival
in 1730’s and 40’s
New denominations formed;
Enlightenment thought appealed to intellectuals;
Great Awakening appeals to more common people
Seem to be odds, but have a similar effect:
Challenging established authority
Emphasis on individual
Questioning of Britain’s traditional authority
10. Jonathan EdwardsMinister who drove the
Great Awakening in
America with his fiery
sermons
“Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God”
11.
Colonies are prosperous; Salutary Neglect
Population is growing
Enlightenment ideas are changing the way
people think about government
The Great Awakening is changing the face of
American religion
These movements and economic motives are
uniting the colonies in new ways.
