Religious Diversity in the Colonies and how it shapes the move to revolution.
Religion plays a major role in causing the American Revolution. It’s where religion supports the oppositions to the British. Their support leads to most of the average Americans that revolution is justified and right before the eyes of God. At this period of revolution, most of the ministers were serving the American at different capacity. Whereinto some extent, some of the ministers participate by carrying even arm troops and leading people to the battle. After the revolution, it’s where most of the denominations split since they had different takes on revolution. For instance, the Church of England had to support the King and the Quakers since they have taken an oath to do that; hence it’s very hard for them to go against the oath. In some areas, religious activities were doing well while in some places religion suffers because of the lack of ministers. What motivates most of the minister to cause and continue with the war is that some believe that; American might become the principal seat of the glorious kingdom that Jesus will refer upon the earth in the latter days.
Religion diversity is one of the significant cause of the American Revolution during the colonial period. Since it has a major influence upon the lives of most of the new settlers in American who are from different religious groups. The church leaders are the people who are highly respected in the community. they participate in providing advice to people not only on spiritual matters but also concerning the economic factors, political and also matters to deal with gender relations. Therefore, “every take by the church leader could cause the change by these people since they were perceived to be from God” (Reinhardt, Steven and Cawthon 1992, 65). If they are against the British government also all the church groups will be against the government since they are followers of those leaders. The revolution even most of the people did not think about it but they were just fighting out of emotions.
In the 1740s, there is a Great Awakening which involves a spiritual movement which is a far-reaching revival. The move is one of the main sources which brings more conflict and diversity in the American religion. The cause of this conflict is from the Massachusetts preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) who proclaims that when an individual is born again is a shred of evidence that the individual is predestined for the heavenly life upon the second coming of Christ. Most of the ministers follow this message but the most practical clergy is George Whitefield who spreads this message to most of the place. It’s a message that brings a “disagreement between the old light traditionalist and the new light evangelist” (Lisa 2012, 100). There is better between them because the emotional preaching about the individual salvation from the bible touches most of the people. The effect of this preaching leading to challenging most of the formal teachings and hence the conversion of most of the dominations. The movement is growing rapidly through the increment of the numbers of the people who are joining the different evangelical sects. The movement favours Baptist in the expense of the other denomination a factor that causes a lot of bitterness to the established churches.
The Great Awakening move leads to creating a room where every person could access the religion practices since the larger part of the public gains identity and voice in the church. By influencing most of the people in religion the trend towards liberty of conscience is strengthen. People start questioning themselves about the nature of God, human behaviours, about moral and political authority and economical components. During this movement, the revivalist also attends all the churches which have hospitals regardless of their procedural. They contribute in aiding to break down of provincial barriers that lead to creating a more united evangelical Protestantism which becomes part of the American character.
Religious belief is a vital ingredient in coming up of independency and forming of the new republic. “Revolution war it involved some of the churches, clergy, creeds, denominations, religious movements and even chaplains” (Joel 2008, 72). Even though there is the perception that churches do not participate in war or cause any war to the country. But during this era, where there is a difference in clerical and the military forces the revolution movement starts. It’s through the religious ideology and affiliation that lead to most of the American to participate in the revolution movement. Through this conflict, there is a new turn on the American religious culture since as the movement continues most of the differences about religion emerges in the country. The revolution leads to the formation of a new nation a change from what was there before where there was a nation with the church.
During this time it involves recruiting of the Americans’ concerning the matters that are happening around them. The first issue that churches were against is the introduction of taxation. “It is 1963 when George Grenville the prime minister in that year decides to come up with ways of raising revenue to meet the cost of the defence” (Barry 2004, 435). The first measure that he introduced is the plantation Act which also known as the sugar Act where they impose a reduction of three pence on imported foreign molasses. The next issue that is involved during this period is the passing of the currency Act which involves the withdrawal of the currency paper. The next step that the prime minister takes id to increase the stamp duty on most of the transactions such as legal writs, newspapers advertisement and ships bills’ of lading. At this time when the colonial government is consulted, they offered no alternative since they did this with the expectation that people will just accept this taxation as the former one. But this stamp Act hit herder most of the people and they were against it. Most of the people were against it since the majority were suffering from economic difficulties because of the post-war that had happened. The stamp Act had caused riots in most of the town where people were protesting for the denouncing of the Act. Later the Act was denounced since it is violating the human rights of Americans.
Therefore, most of the religions were against this religion since they were violating human rights. “The anti-Catholics and the opposition to an Anglican bishop are the strong standing manifestation of resistance to taxation” (Yale University Press 2007, 85). At the same time, the loyalist who were majority the Anglican expresses their discontentment upon the liberal Christians who were religious fanatics and they were protesting for the puritan revolution. Therefore, in the meantime, the church wanted to exclude the government entirely from them. The effect is that they will produce two religious results in their fight. Where the first one is more liberal from the church and the other one is in the state relation with American government than what was there before the fight. The fight ends up having many denominational churches, as well as many religious, conflicts, characterized that they were not intentional.
Religion also participated in causing the revolution movement since the British government the shared idea between the two groups. It involves where the two groups had discussed the moral disposition of a passionate follower of the church or a believer. Where they are to inherit the political values of popular sovereignty, social contract theory, protection of life, liberty and property. “They were also to maintain the religious virtual of being economically well through hardworking and Biblical faith” (Porterfield, Amanda, and Corrigan 2010, 90). Therefore, since the British betrayed their agreement on the agreed moral virtues hence there the conflict starts immediately.
The passing of the Quebec Act by the British Act is one of the factors that lead to this fight. The Act is put in place in 1774 where it’s passed as an Act of good faith to Canadian but its success is limited and hence quickens the American Revolution. “The implementation of this Act was as a sign of peace treaty between the French and the British after fighting in 1763” (Carla 2011, 49). The implementation of this Act brings fight and conflict in America which is contrary to what they were expecting. This Act aims to improve British governance over their new territories as well as providing freedom of religion to French people who were living there. At first British desires Quebec to be like the other parts of North American and therefore they provide a text Act for them to sign like the other parts. By signing this Act is a sign that they accept being under the British crown and being a member of the Church of England so that to participate in the public affairs of the country. Most of the French people are catholic and not Anglican hence being the main factor hindering them from participating in the governmental and public affairs. Therefore, the Act is to act as a solution to the political and these cultural factors.
Therefore after the implementation of this Act, the British government had to make some changes so that they can have full control of the region. The first thing they were to do is to expand the land of Quebec to those areas which some of their colonies were claiming for. Secondly is to replace the temporal government of Quebec with a permanent one that will be better for that area that will allow the governor and his council to rule the region peacefully. Thirdly, they allowed the Quebec people to utilize the French civil law when in private matters but to ensure that they use the English law on public matters. But the issue with the Act is that it is designed to give the Catholics in Quebec more religious freedom such that they were allowing the Catholic Church to collect tithes in this area but not the other religions” (Robert 2000, 98). Therefore, the Act is against the Test Act that required them to participate in government affairs which are subjected to the Church of England. Through its constitutional and its religious implication it leads to the main cause of conflict and fight in the British.
The rejection of the anti-Catholicism and lack of freedom of conscience of American Catholics was one of the causes for revolution movement. The demands of this freedom in religion are one of the factors that contribute to the rejection of traditional Christianity entirely in favour of the Deism by the commander of the greens mountain boys. It leads to where the Franco-American Alliance to bring the French troop in the American land which hits the British soldiers as well as exposing them to advance in their freethinking and their anticlericalism.
The political heritage of civil and religious liberty from the enlightenment source and the puritan indicates that the two revolution group shared them. “Even though the half of the most of the population attending church were attending most of the puritan they were in the New England Congregationalist as well as the Presbyterians”(Jacob 2009, 321). The saddening issue is that most of them are supporting the patriot issue. The church leader uses the Old Testament to teach people which leads to influencing their behaviours since people started coping the virtues explained in the Bible and therefore it caused most of the people to passively resist on the British political and clerical authorities. Where most of the people were not aware of the political environment around them. For instance, Captain Levi Preston, who takes part in the Lexington and Concord is not aware of the commonwealth. He only understands the things in the Bible, church catechism and singing of the hymns and psalms. While the first fight is all about the commonwealth.
Some of the radical patriots and the Whigs did not have a monopoly on religious culture. The revolution movement is caused by the loyalist and pacifist perceives that the pro-independence party in America is the one which is oppressing most of the Americans’ religion and civil liberties. The Seabury is claiming that they will be forcing them to support and follow the British military established despite them opposing it. Through the observation by the British officers and the loyalist believes that the patriots are carrying on the puritan fight against the king. Where most of the people believed that when the former puritans and all the Congregationalist are put together will lead to a Presbyterian fight. It’s the source of conflict as most of their clergy and patriot attacks as they were doing some enlightenment on the religious and English culture.
The high church of Anglican was highly valued by its righteous form of life they encouraged. But the church’s value is lowered because of their developing behavior of opposing the government through their conservative lifestyles. Which is not the case with the other diverse religious groups such as the Baptist, the peace Germany and other experienced religious groups such as the shakers and the universal friends. One of the important things is the Religious Society of Friends among the three largest denominations in the colonial period. “The character specifies the three denominations while the other peace churches which are supported by more than fifteen per cent of the population of the Americans are concentrated in specific areas such as the Hudson River Valley, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware” (Scott 2007, 78). They differ rent from others where their priests are much concerned with the conformity to Christianity and spiritual mysticism. It was quickened by their experience from the government harassment, democratic church polities and the proposal of unequal gender policy. These being the main reason why these churches started quarries even with the government and hence trying to fight for what is true.
There was forging of peace testimony between the Puritans and the Anglican churches in the previous century. The Quaker was drove from power by the fight between the French and the Indian war. The Quaker has also prevented the formation of Pennsylvania militia at the beginning of the revolutionary war. It when the patriot leadership perceived friendship as a pure threat to them and as just a disturbance since they did not corporate at all. “But the importance of the minority group of Quaker is that they believed on their doctrine about the inner light and the millennium destiny of American which just requires support for the American enlightenment” (Tamara 2012, 69). The testing of all the religious faith happens when the state uses its law requiring the loyal oath and militia services from them. The government states that those who were not to comply with the law were to be jailed and prohibited from public preaching. Hence war was the result of this so that they can resist the drafts that were formulated. Thus, when the state realizes that it’s hard for them to control those who do not obey the rule it leads to conflict between them as well. The conflict that produces the first informal but state recognition bases on religion.
Another factor that illustrates how religion shapes the revolution movement involves the clergymen voices where they were promoting and at the same time opposing American independence. Their mistake in the church building and also the experience of the chaplains also contributes to war in America where they experiences and faces its effects. “At this period the American clergy also participates too much in causing the fight since they were evoking the fight from all the sides both from military and the church side”( Carla 2004, 55). The British government are also blaming the American ministers for causing the first war and yet the government were looking upon them to communicate to the public and request them to end the conflict. The government continues to interfere with the religion where the causes widespread damage to the extent of burning the church building, silencing the meeting house bells that were alerting the minute’s men now and then. Where even the clergies suffer life to death and their churches are frequently destroyed.
In New York, they burn the patriots meeting house and they turn the remaining space like a horse stable as well as the military hospitals. “At this level, they were aiming to attack the scotch Irish Presbyterian meeting house since it’s the largest group that is non- English rebellion group” (Linford 2012, 138). Even though at the end the British government were unable to attack it because of the speed at which one of the Presbyterian people reacted to instilled fear to the British government. Where he threatens them by stating that they will stop minding about the sermon and think about a company which is an evidence of the power this denomination had.
On the other hand, in the same era, the Anglican clergies are complaining about the hostility they are facing at the hands of the sons of liberty. Where in New York they are suffering from being jailed and payments of fines for non –attendance. Where the militia and patriots crowds break into the homes and offices of the clergies. Whereat the same time some clergy are suffering the clergy from the lower church of Virginia are protected by powerful militaries and therefore more than half of them were supporting the American and even most of the ministers joined the military group. Therefore, this leads to most of the Anglican clergies to migrate to Canada and others went back to Britain. But in the year 1975, one of the old church in Boston provides an alert on its preparedness to start a war.
Diversity in religion contributes to causing the new revolution. It’s because most of the British officers are trying to find out how they can curb it. But the military faces a lot of challenge since they concentrate too much on the issue of the side on which each religion may be belonging. Most of the denominations are influenced by the regionalist as well as the ethnicity of the certain group and hence contributing to political influence into war. Most of the denominations in Indian and the blacks were concerned so much on who will win the battle (James 2005, 123). Then choices and conclusion of most of the blacks, slaves and most the frontier tributes is influenced by the denomination or then religious convictions which was made by whites in the conflict. Later in 1973, there were many Indians who were schooling at the Presbyterian mission whose majority were on the American side. Therefore the superintendent fears the group since they were powerful. The America commander promises religious freedom and political freedom to the French settlers and Indian tribes who were settled in Ohio country. Through these promises, it becomes easy for the American to acquire the treaty of Paris in 1783. And at the end of the war, more than ninety-six Moravians Indians were caught massacred.
Conclusion
In conclusion, religious diversity has an effect on the revolutionary movement during the colonial period. It’s at this period where the religion and the American government gets a turnaround and new dimension of the things they were surrounding them. Some of the factors that contributed the religion diversity to cause war were such as the desire of the freedom of religion. Where some of the people religious leaders were disrupted by the British behavior of going against their agreement upon their behaviours which was to ensure that people are fully protected as well as their properties. But the American military is causing serious damage to the properties of the church will hit heard the clergies and other religious leaders. The religious leaders are highly respected by most of the people and therefore their decisions and choices also influenced the choices of most of the black and slave people. Therefore, most of them participated in the revolutionary movement because of the conflict between the whites and the religious leaders. Where the different denomination was caused by the difference in taking during revolution movement as well as the regional factors and the culture of the people in the specific place.
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