“The bad effects of this spirit... have been very obvious. It has promoted a disputing, contentions, and censorious temper... It has caused divisions in families, and separations in churches; and in some places, it has thrown whole towns into confusion... Ministers have been spoken of with contempt, and their characters wounded...”
— Charles Chauncy, *Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New-England*, 1743
Which of the following developments in the mid-eighteenth century British colonies most directly resulted from the divisions described in the excerpt?
- AThe passage of imperial laws designed to restrict colonial manufacturing and trade.
- An increase in religious pluralism and the questioning of traditional institutional authority.Answer
- CThe growth of a rigid social hierarchy dominated by wealthy tobacco-planting elites.
- DThe transition from indentured servitude to chattel slavery as the primary source of agricultural labor.
Answer
An increase in religious pluralism and the questioning of traditional institutional authority.
The excerpt by Charles Chauncy, an 'Old Light' critic, describes the social and religious disruptions caused by the First Great Awakening. The revivals split churches into 'New Light' and 'Old Light' factions, leading to greater religious pluralism and sectarian diversity. By challenging the traditional authority of established ministers, it fostered a broader questioning of institutional authority throughout the colonies.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The social and political impacts of the First Great Awakening on British colonial society.