What is the difference between Enlightenment and great awakening?

Enlightenment and the Great Awakening were two parallel yet distinct intellectual and religious movements that flourished in Europe and the Americas during the 18th century. While both movements emerged as a reaction to the rigidity of traditional institutions, they differed in their primary focus and driving ideas.

Enlightenment:

1. Rationalism and Logic: The Enlightenment emphasized reason, logic, and scientific inquiry as the primary means to understand the world. Enlightenment philosophers sought to apply scientific principles to all areas of life, including religion, politics, and society.

2. Secularism: The Enlightenment promoted a more secular perspective, often challenging religious dogma and promoting freedom of thought and religious toleration.

3. Individualism: Enlightenment thinkers emphasized the importance of individual rights and freedoms, rejecting the dominance of traditional social hierarchies.

4. Political Thought: The Enlightenment inspired many Enlightenment-era political and economic ideas, such as democracy, constitutionalism, and free markets.

Great Awakening:

1. Religious Revivalism: The Great Awakening was primarily a religious movement marked by a revival of Protestant Christianity. It emphasized personal religious experience, emotional conversion, and a direct relationship between individuals and God.

2. Emotionalism: Unlike the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, the Great Awakening emphasized emotions and spiritual experiences as the means to achieve salvation.

3. Popular Religion: The Great Awakening spread widely among common people, especially in the American colonies. It helped to democratize religion by empowering ordinary individuals to interpret the Bible and have a personal religious journey.

4. Social Impact: While the Enlightenment largely influenced intellectual elites, the Great Awakening had a profound impact on the broader population, shaping social and cultural life in colonial America.

In summary, the Enlightenment was primarily an intellectual movement focused on rationality, secularism, and individual rights. The Great Awakening was a religious revival that emphasized emotionalism, personal salvation, and had a significant impact on the popular religious culture of the time. While they were both products of the 18th century's intellectual ferment, they represented different responses to societal and cultural changes.