America is a land of freedom and is home to people who have had some good and bad ideas over the decades. Thefollowing are some American ideas which have helped to shape this great nation into how it is today.

American Ideas in History

1. The Second Great Awakening

Religious revivals which were against Calvinist and rationalism teachings of predestination and original sin were rejected. President of Yale College, Timothy Dwight, helped in pushing forth the second Great awakening by conducting revivals on campus which led to hundreds of younger men to learn and become evangelist preachers. Minister Charles G Finney, in 1823 sparked a number of revivals in the city of New York when he appealed to the emotions of the people and that those who believe could be saved by hard work and faith. This movement also helped to develop the Methodist and Baptist religion. The Seventh Day Adventist religion was founded by William Miller by claiming that on October 21 1844 the world would end and people need to be saved.  In 1830, the religion Mormons was created by Joseph Smith before he led them west. When he died, the people were then led by Brigham Young to Utah where some colonies were founded.

2. Transcendentalism

Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that people should look for God in nature and one’s inner self. Thoreau lived for 2 years in the woods where he conducted an experiment to discover the truths about life. George Ripley conducted a community experiment where he wanted to observe people interacting with one another.  This followed with more experiments as many people wanted to form a utopia. This resulted in the Shakers formation, the Fourier Phalanxes, and New Harmony experiment.

3. Important Legislation Public Asylum

Important events were also a concern for the erecting of many public facilities including mental hospitals, hospitals, prisons, and schools. Maine, in 1851 was the first state which prohibited the drinking of alcohol and introduced laws which were enacted to help with protecting seamen from being beaten and flogged.

4. Anti-Slavery Movement

Angelia and Sara Grimke objected to the opposition of men in activities of antislavery. Feminists came together at New York’s Seneca Falls which was known as the first Women’s Rights Convention in the history of America Antislavery Movement. The US created a settlement in Liberia’s Monrovia and tried to move all the African Americans who were freed to the colonies. William Lloyd Garrison published a newspaper called, The Liberator, which then signalled the start of the radical abolitionist movement and which also caused a split in the movement. A Virginia slave, Nat Turner, killed 55 white males when they led a revolt. In retaliation the white people killed hundreds of African Americans.