The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement in the United States. It started in 1795 and lasted until 1835. One of its leaders was Timothy Dwight. Dr. Dwight was the grandson of Jonathan Edwards and he was president of Yale College from 1795 until 1817.
Charles G. Finney was another one of its leaders. He conducted revival meetings in the largest cities in the United States, and he converted millions of Americans to Christianity. He was a strong abolitionist, who urged his followers to get involved in the anti-slavery movement. And Christians were responsible for ending slavery in America.
Abolitionists formed the Republican Party in Ripon, Wisconsin in 1854. Their first candidate for President of the United States was Abraham Lincoln. And the American people elected him to be their President in 1860.
The Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1865. The most popular song among the Union troops was The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Here are two of its verses:
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnish’d rows of steel
As ye deal with my condemners so with you my grace shall deal
Let the hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel
His truth is marching on
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me
As he died to make men holy let us die to make men free
His truth is marching on
750,000 men died in this struggle to put an end to slavery in America. Almost all of them were white men. And that is exactly what they did, they died to make men free.
