From Revival to Revolution: The Case of Benjamin Throop and Family

This video explores how the Great Awakening shaped the religious, political, and military ideological foundations of the American Revolution through a case study of Reverend Benjamin Throop, an evangelical Congregational minister and thought leader from Norwich, Connecticut.

This project examines the influence of the Great Awakening on the ideological foundations of the American Revolution, focusing on how its emphasis on individual autonomy, dissent, and resistance to centralized authority prepared American colonists for independence. By fostering personal religious conviction and challenging institutional authority, the revivalist movement helped shape revolutionary thought and inspire collective action against British rule. Using a case study of Reverend Benjamin Throop and his family, this study analyzes sermons, writings, and familial actions to uncover the intersection of revivalist ideals with political dissent. The research situates Throop’s experiences within the broader colonial response to the Great Awakening, highlighting how religious ideals informed political motivations and revolutionary fervor.

The Great Awakening fostered a revolutionary mindset in colonial America by promoting individual autonomy, dissent, and resistance to centralized authority, setting the ideological groundwork for the American Revolution. This research argues that these ideals were essential in preparing American colonists for the ideological leap toward independence. Investigating the Benjamin Throop family in a case study, it will demonstrate how the revivalist emphasis on personal liberty, popular dissent, and defiance of authority played a critical role in inspiring the colonists’ pursuit of independence.