Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardColonial Society, Culture, and Politics

"The Plain Truth is, an Itinerary Preacher, especially when he has a peculiar Knack at reaching the Passions, will do more in three Months to destroy the Peace of a Town, than the best and most painful Pastor can do in as many Years to establish it... They have been the Instruments of setting up the private Opinions of Men, in Opposition to the standing Laws of the Land, and the order of the Gospel."
— Charles Chauncy, Boston minister, *Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New-England*, 1743

Which of the following broader developments in the British North American colonies during the mid-eighteenth century is best reflected in the concerns expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The emergence of stark differences in family-based settlement patterns and life expectancy between New England and the Southern colonies.
  2. B
    The enforcement of imperial trade regulations under the mercantile system to ensure that colony-produced raw materials benefited Great Britain.
  3. The division of established congregations and the challenge to traditional religious authority by itinerant preachers.Answer
  4. D
    The replacement of indentured servants with African slaves as the primary labor force in Southern cash-crop cultivation.

Answer

The division of established congregations and the challenge to traditional religious authority by itinerant preachers.
The correct answer is the option describing the division of established congregations and the challenge to traditional religious authority. The Great Awakening divided American Protestantism into 'Old Lights' (such as Charles Chauncy) who defended traditional church hierarchies and rationalism, and 'New Lights' who supported emotional, individualistic revivalism. Itinerant preachers bypassed local pastors, thereby challenging the established religious and social order of the colonies.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided historical document.
The source is Charles Chauncy's 1743 treatise criticizing 'Itinerary Preachers' who appeal to people's passions, disrupt towns, and promote individual opinions over established church law and order.
Identifying the author's viewpoint and subject matter allows us to contextualize the historical debate.
2
Link the text to major historical events of the mid-eighteenth century.
The text directly references the First Great Awakening (1730s–1740s), specifically the conflict between the 'Old Lights' (who favored traditional, rational worship and established hierarchy) and 'New Lights' (who embraced revivalism, emotionalism, and itinerant preaching).
Placing the source within its broader historical context is essential for selecting the correct answer.
3
Evaluate the choices based on historical accuracy and relevance to the source.
The option concerning the division of established congregations and the challenge to traditional religious authority accurately describes the impact of the First Great Awakening shown in the text. Other options describe mercantilism, chattel slavery, and regional demographics, which are historically accurate developments of the era but do not address the religious and cultural tensions in the source.
Comparing the options to the historical context of the text ensures the selected answer directly answers the prompt.

Key Concept

The First Great Awakening and the fragmentation of traditional colonial religious authority.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Colonial Society, Culture, and Politics

More questions from this topic