Discuss the impact of the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening on colonial society in America

The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening were responses to the ignorance and formalism of churches in 18th-century England and its colonies. They both challenged old ideas and inspired change in their own ways. The Great Awakening inspired through highly emotional sermons having to do more with being in charge of one’s faith. This became known as the New Light. The notable figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield caught on quickly and drove a massive revival of faith. Their sermons provided positive change by allowing those previously marginalized to experience something on a grander scale than anything else at the time. As a result of the Enlightenment, beliefs like rationalism and empiricism were becoming popular among the wealthy and educated classes. Rationalists believed in deduction and using one’s mental faculties to gain knowledge while Empiricists argued knowledge has to come from observation. Great thinkers like Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Newton arose during this time.
To sum up: the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment were different because one movement was based on emotion while enlightened thinkers focused on using logic and experience. New Light preachers focused on tapping into a person’s emotional and spiritual senses. It was also different than the Enlightenment in how it appealed to a broader base than did Enlightenment thought.
Today, the culture wars reflect the divide between faith-based versus progressive agendas. Both sides have deeply held convictions and are very organized, though there are factions and breakaway movements among both sides.