Awakening is term popularly utilized to refer to the religious revitalization, which shaped the history of the United States of America. Between early 18th century and late 19th century, great awakening was witnessed in the US at a rate that few had predicted. The religious revival witnessed divisions in the mainstream church, which led to civil wars. The first and the second great awakening gave blacks an opportunity to reinterpret the bible.
Through reinterpretation, it was clear to blacks that certain acts meted out to them were unethical, apart from being unconstitutional. For instance, they noted that slavery was against the God’s wish. Africans came to the realization that every person was created in the image of God, which is the image of goodness. In this regard, there is no super person or the best before the eyes of the lord. Concern over slavery increased, forcing Africans to rise up against their masters, who had tormented them for years. Africans organized themselves into groups and fought for their rights. This led to the Civil War that effectively ended slavery.
In various parts of Ney York, jails, brothels, and confinement facilities were shut down since they were no longer needed. Great awakening ended violent behavior that was often exercised by goons and the desperate youths in society. Some historians claim that people would leave their cars unlocked and nothing could happen to them. However, the rate of crime has gone up by an approximated 95% since 1963. People marshaled resources to put up places of worshiping God, including churches and mosques. Generally, the great awakening, both first and second, had positive impacts to the slaves and the poor in society. Everyone was concerned with the plight of the poor in society.
The second great awakening facilitated the abolition of slavery and slave trade in the United States. The crusade to end slavery was stronger in the north. It was different from the first awakening since even the poor in society, who were extremely frustrated in the way things were conducted in the south, supported it. The second great awakening encouraged the growth of reform movements that later participated in fighting for the rights of slaves.
The proponents of the new reform movements urged the government to be tolerant to the divergent views. It requested the government to formulate laws that would illegalize slavery, given the fact that it had contributed to relative deprivation. Through the wave of religious revival, women were given their rights, which allowed them to participate in political processes. For the society achieve its objectives, the abolition movement urged its members to abstain from alcohol in order to maintain strong ties with families. With time, women realized that they could also demand for their rights.