How did religion contribute to the growth of representative government in the English colonies?
1 Answer
The first Great Awakening created democracy in the churches. The authority of church leaders was challenged individuals were encouraged to interpret the Bible for themselves.
Explanation:
The Methodists and Baptists were able to vote for the leadership in their churches. The religious freedom in the churches due to the Great Awakening created a desire for political freedom.
The Great Awakening had some of its greatest impacts in the villages of New England. It was in these same villages that the New England town meetings took place.
The evangelical churches challenged the authority of entrenched leadership. This pattern of challenging authority based solely on authority carried over to the challenging of the authority of the British Crown and the governors appointed by the King.
The religious movement toward democracy in church matters, carried over to a movement toward democracy in political matters.
