4. Market Revolution

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, we turn to look at how the Second Great Awakening was linked to the Market Revolution. The Market Revolution in America saw the country connected by a number of internal improvements. These improvements increased the incentive to create a surplus to sell for profit. This in turn undermined the so called moral economy as many Americans began to see instability and uncertainty as opportunities to make profit. Many of the new businessmen created by the Market Revolution sought out the revivalist message in order to get more regularity and control for their workforce, as well as relieve them of paternalistic responsibility to their workers.

Course

In this course, Professor Susan Curtis (Purdue University) explains the causes of the Second Great Awakening. We start by looking at the origins of the movement in the United States and then turn to examine its key characteristics. We then turn to look at how the Second Great Awakening was connected to another change occurring in society at the time - the Market Revolution. After this, we finish by looking at the consequences of the movement and with some concluding remarks.

Lecturer

Susan Curtis in Emeritus Professor of History and American Studies at Purdue University. She specialises in the History of American culture, religion, and race relations; and is the author of four books - A Consuming Faith:  The Social Gospel and Modern American Culture (1991): Dancing to a Black Man's Tune:  A Life of Scott Joplin (1994); The First Black Actors on the Great White Way (1998); and Colored Memories:  A Biographer's Quest for the Elusive Lester A. Walton (2008).