Enlightenment thinkers emphasized a scientific and logical view of the world, while downplaying religion. In the 1700s, a European philosophical movement known as the Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, was making its way across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies. Many historians believe the Great Awakening had a lasting impact on various Christian denominations and American culture at large. The result was a renewed dedication toward religion.
Christian leaders often traveled from town to town, preaching about the gospel, emphasizing salvation from sins and promoting enthusiasm for Christianity. The movement came at a time when the idea of secular rationalism was being emphasized, and passion for religion had grown stale. The Great Awakening was a religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the 1730s and 1740s.
