How do the shakers and mormons reflect the Second Great Awakening and social enviroment in the mid-19 century?

Question

well i need to do an essay about that, and the only thing i can find in the web are the beliefs of both religions and absolutely no info regarding the second great awakening.

hope one of you guys know a little, thx in advance =)

Answer 1

They both reflected it because they both moved far away the Mormons basically all of them moved to Oregon Territory so they could practice there beliefs without the problems caused by other people, and the shakers did the same thing only they moved out west not just Oregon.

Hope this helped

Answer 2

I think that the era can be summarized by saying that the Second Great Awakening encouraged people to find Christian solutions to the "ills of society"... thus the Temperance Movement and groups of abolitionists were created. I would attempt to tie in those two groups with the beliefs and practices of the Shakers and Mormons today.

Answer 3

I really don't know much about the Second Great Awakening either, but I searched for it and found some info on Wikipedia. Don't know if you looked at the page already, but if not, you should check it out. It might help.

Answer 4

You should look up the Joseph Smith-History.

He recalled when we was 14, about 1820, when there was a general religious revival in the country. This gives the flavor of religious feeling at the time:

Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, “Lo, here!” and others, “Lo, there!” Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.

For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.

I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.

During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and astrife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

Both groups were part of 'gathering' movements. Before mass media, the best way to learn and grow in a faith was to live in the same area. Both groups originally had systems to distribute land and goods in common. If you were a poor a factory worker in England, it would be an advantage to go with other converts to a place with land and opportunity.

There are problems when large numbers of converts move into a state or county. Next thing you know they want to vote and elect those friendly to their cause. This lead to problems for the Saints in Missouri and Illinois, which lead them to Utah.

The biggest difference between the groups was their attitude toward marriage. The Shakers condemed it, so there are few left. The Saints thought you should, and they flourished.

One other Joseph Smith quote for social environment:

"We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all, wherever we find them."