3. Authorities & decisions: The Great Awakening and public argument

Decision-makers, laws and consequences

George Whitefield traveled through British North America in the 1730s and 1740s, while Jonathan Edwards preached in New England. Revival meetings challenged established churches’ exclusive authority over religious life.

The movement also created new denominations and networks for public debate. Participants disagreed on slavery and political rights; religious revival cannot be treated as a single unified political platform.

Institutional consequences

The authorities identified above acted within institutions that determined who could govern, enforce decisions and challenge official power. The resulting changes to political participation, legal status, military control or property administration are part of the historical record of this specific event, rather than evidence that every later government followed the same path.