Contribution of the Great Awakening and Immigration

The Great Awakening was a moving period in the eyes of the preachers and worshippers. It contributed to a more democratic society to a lesser extent then immigration by allowing the priests to orate their strong beliefs about different heresies but the priests still had one idea and view point of religion. Immigration contributed greatly to a more democratic society by allowing a melting pot of people with various cultures and religions to come to America and get land and rights and to make their own decisions about their lives. For example, during the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards, a pastor, proclaimed the” folly of believing in salvation through good works and affirmed the need for complete dependence of god’s grace”. This shows that although freedom of speech was practiced, only one view point was considered righteous. Immigration however allowed for a more definite democratic society by having members of different religions such as Lutheranism and Presbyterianism and thus enhanced the religious diversity of the colony as well as characterized the freedom of religion. They also received land in the western parts of the colonies and build their own farms and communities on foreign land. With the Great Awakening and immigration, democratic society in the American colonies was strengthening and growing with the mixture of views and ideas from far and wide.