Religion in Age of Jackson

• “Religion, which never mixes directly in government in America, must be regarded as their primary political institution….I have seen Americans form associations to send priests to the new Western states, to found schools and churches there; they fear that religion might be lost in the wilderness.... ‘All American republics are united,’ they will say; ‘If the republics of the west were to fall into anarchy, or submit to the yoke of despotism, the republican institutions that flourish along the Atlantic coast would be threatened; it is thus in our interest to ensure that the new States are religious, so that they allow us to remain free.’” (pp. 87-88)

Lyman Beecher (1775-1863)

• 1814 Yale Graduation Address

Popular Religion Takes Over, 1776-1850

• “Adherence”

• Figures

Religious Adherents by Denomination, 1776

0 20 40

1776

MethodistsRoman CatholicBaptistsPresbyterianEpiscopalianCongregationalist

Methodists 2.5

Roman Catholic 1.8

Baptists 16.9

Presbyterian 19

Episcopalian 15.7

Congregationalist 20.4

1776

Religious Adherents by Denomination, 1776 and 1850

0 20 40

1776

1850MethodistsRoman CatholicsBaptistsPresbyteriansEpiscopaliansCongregationalists

Methodists 2.5 34.2

Roman Catholics 1.8 13.9

Baptists 16.9 20.5

Presbyterians 19 11.6

Episcopalians 15.7 3.5

Congregationalists 20.4 4

1776 1850

Popular Religion

• Religious Freedom

• Radicalism of the Revolution

Factors behind Methodist Growth

• A New Kind of Preacher

• Arminian Theology

• Organizational Structure

Methodist Organization• Local Preachers

• Exhorters

• Class Leaders

• Circuit Riders

Francis Asbury

Factors behind Methodist Growth

• A New Kind of Preacher

• Arminian Theology

• Organizational Structure

• “Enthusiasm”

Women and Methodism

• Methodist Worship

• Jarena Lee

African-American Christianity

• Preachers and Exhorters

• Henry Evans

• The Exodus Story

Independent Black Churches

• Richard Allen

• African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), 1792

Mormonism

• Joseph Smith

• Family History

• Visions, the Angel Moroni

• Book of Mormon, 1830

• Warnings in the Book

• Mormon Migration

Long-term Consequences of Popular Religion?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1776 1890 1980

Year

% ReligiousAdhernce