Fire and Brimstone

A religious revival called the Great Awakening swept across the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, taking the colonists by storm. With their “hellfire and brimstone” sermons, preachers ignited scores of followers. Some of whom tried to convert the Native Americans and the slaves.. A divide separated the older, more traditional clergy and the people who participated in the Great Awakening. The traditionalists were taken aback by the new methods of preaching and by the passionate responses of the people who experienced revival. Why do you think the traditionalists reacted as they did.

When it came to the new methods of preaching, they were surprised because the new methods spread so quickly, and they thought that it wouldn't spread so fast across the colonies. They thought the preachers agreed that the original way of preaching was the only right way to preach.

The reaction to the people's passionate responses was due to the same reason they were taken aback by the new methods of preaching. They thought the Awakening wouldn't spread too far, yet the exact opposite happened.