Table of Contents
Essay #1
There are many reasons why the Europeans had to carry out exploration in the 1400 century. However, this essay will only discuss the two principal ones. First, the Europeans were in search for a better life as their population had continued to raise creating pressure of the scarce resources available. They wanted to locate vast land where they could till and get sufficient food to feed their families. Apart from that, the poor also wanted to search for better living conditions as a majority of them lived in hovels where they could not get sufficient warmth. As such, they were eager to go to the ‘land of plenty’ and make their lives better.
On the other hand, the exploration was also based on the mercantilism as they most of the European countries wanted to become rich. One such country is Germany where the population developed an ideology that acquisition of wealth was based on how much precious metal it owned. Therefore, Germany and other like-minded European countries had to make sure they have explored in other countries with an aim of enriching themselves with more precious metals from other countries. This made them to move in large numbers in other continents such as North America and Africa. They even had to colonize these countries with an overall aim of making sure of their natural wealth.
Essay #2
The Great Awakening refers to the revitalization, as well as evangelical movements that created an influential wave to both the British American and the Protestant European. It was considered more influential towards the community located among the American colonies. The Great Awakening was believed to have taken place in the 1730s all the way to 1740s. It was considered to have an immense impact such that it had the potential of living an indelible mark on the Protestantism in America. Its major theme was anchored on the need to get salvation and to develop a constructive, as well as personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The phenomenon tended to create a clear distinction from the earlier believe of having ritual, sacramental, hierarchy, and ceremonies. The major theme was to create a sense of committed and towards achieved personal morality in a better and a deeper manner.
Essay #3
Jonathan Edwards, as well as George Whitefield played significant roles in revitalizing people about the Gospel of Christ. Edwards played critical roles as a Congregationalist Protestant, philosopher, theologian, and as a preacher. He had acquired the title in reformed theology, which made him create a new chapter in the American’s new philosophical theology. He was considered to have brought ‘New Light’ in the field of theology. Apart from that, Jonathan Edwards was also considered a firm advocate of the ethical fittingness, harmony in Christ’s beauty, as well as the need to have mindset enlightenment to know Christ better. He wanted to demonstrate how God can create redemption to the humankind by manifesting Himself though them.
On the other hand, George Whitefield was a member of the evangelical movements and a member of the English Anglican. He made significant contribution in founding Methodism. He carried many evangelical works as an itinerary preacher, as well as a full evangelist. He was famous for engaging in highly controversial debates with his fellow clergymen. He used imperial pride, imperial pride, as well as drama to execute his religious and theological roles. This made him famous in both American colonies and in Great Britain as he preached regularly to enormous crowds. Just like Edwards, Whitefield also gave theology a completely new meaning during his gospel ministering days.
- Carlisle, Rodney P., and J. Geoffrey Golson. Colonial America from Settlement to the Revolution. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2006.
- Kidd, Thomas S. The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America. 2007.
- Lawson, Steven J. The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield. 2014.
- Willner, Mark, George Hero, and Jerry Wiener. Global History. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, 2006.