Essay: The Colonial Period in America

Sample Essay

The Colonial Period in American History was a reflection of the English culture and institutional arrangements as well as a developing American consciousness. Present United State nation is as a result of immigration of Europeans with their diverse way of thinking, culture and features which impacted the American natives giving rise to new culture which is more of European nationality than the native culture (smith, 1607). Though the immigrants consisted of Dutch, Germans, French and Swedes, English were majority to influence the culture of natives (Crevecoeur, 1782).

Presbyterian, Congregationalists and Episcopal dominated early American society by establishing states and regions based on the status (Jenkins, 1997). In mid of 19th Century, they shift to new groupings by not emphasizing much on trained and educated ministry but by preaching universal gospel than upholding past political democracy. The hierarchy and centralized structures gave way to Baptists and Methodists which experienced tremendous increase of membership throughout the nations between 1800s and 1840s during onset of civil war (Jenkins, 1997). Despite the rise of sect, trained ministers were scarce and only weapon they had were bibles which they used to establish true believers whom they could preach  on individualistic doctrine of free grace, individual responsibility, conversion and regeneration. Great awakening in 1730s and second awakening in 1790s brought by students of Yale and other colleges originated from New England shaped American culture and religion through successive revivals (Jenkins, 1997).

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