what was the second great awakening?

The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival movement in the United States that took place roughly between 1790 and 1840. It began with revivals and camp meetings on the frontier in places like Kentucky and Tennessee and spread nationwide, profoundly changing American religious life by increasing church membership notably among Methodists and Baptists. This movement emphasized emotional preaching, personal salvation through free will instead of predestination, and a democratization of religion where ordinary people were encouraged to participate actively in faith. The Awakening inspired the formation of new denominations, including the Disciples of Christ and Mormonism, and led to social reform movements such as temperance and abolitionism. It also empowered African Americans to form their own churches and contributed to moral and philanthropic reforms. Key figures included evangelist Charles Grandison Finney who introduced innovative revivalist methods, such as the "anxious bench." Overall, the Second Great Awakening significantly influenced American society, religion, and culture during the early 19th century.