Some key factors that contributed to the Great Awakening:
1. Itinerant Preachers: Itinerant preachers, such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and Gilbert Tennent, traveled from town to town, conducting revivals and delivering powerful sermons that focused on personal salvation, repentance, and the need for spiritual rebirth.
2. Emotional Impact: The sermons and preaching during the Great Awakening were characterized by intense emotional displays. Preachers emphasized the importance of individual religious experiences, leading people to express their emotions openly, such as weeping, shouting, and physical reactions to the messages delivered.
3. Impact on Society: The Great Awakening had a profound effect on society. It fostered a sense of personal religious responsibility, leading to a desire for self-improvement and a commitment to moral and ethical behavior. It also led to the establishment of new churches and religious denominations, as well as contributing to the growth of religious tolerance.
4. Social and Cultural Change: The Great Awakening challenged the traditional authority structures within churches, leading to greater democratization and participation by ordinary individuals in religious decision-making. It also fostered a sense of equality among believers, irrespective of their social or economic status.
The term "Great Awakening" accurately captures the transformative nature of this period in American religious history, characterized by a heightened religious fervor, emotional expressions of faith, and significant social and cultural changes that profoundly shaped the religious landscape of the colonies.