Faith and Rebellion: How Hartford's Clergy Shaped Revolutionary Ideology
Disciplines
European History | History of Religion | United States History
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This research will explore the role of religious rhetoric in how revolutionary thought was formed among British-American colonists, and specifically the influence of clergymen in Hartford, Connecticut. With this, the American Revolution has been based on the concept of freedom, with slogans such as “Give me liberty, or give me death!” reflecting the revolution's ideological core. This study seeks to examine how the theological interpretations of freedom, as preached by colonial clergymen, contributed to justifying rebellion against British rule. This will be done through the examination of sermons and other documents from Hartford’s clergymen. This will highlight the intersection of religion, politics, and resistance in the revolutionary era in the British-American Colonies. This paper and work argues that Hartford’s clergymen played a crucial role in shaping colonial resistance through their religious rhetoric. Their sermons framed freedom as a theological principle that justified revolution when threatened. This study will contribute to the broader historiography of the American Revolution by showing how religion was not a background factor but a pivitol aspect to the shape in colonial resistance. This will be done through the examination of Hartford’s clergy, and connecting them to the larger ideological motivations for independence in the British-American Colonies.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - History & Philosophy
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Amy Dunagin
Faith and Rebellion: How Hartford's Clergy Shaped Revolutionary Ideology
This research will explore the role of religious rhetoric in how revolutionary thought was formed among British-American colonists, and specifically the influence of clergymen in Hartford, Connecticut. With this, the American Revolution has been based on the concept of freedom, with slogans such as “Give me liberty, or give me death!” reflecting the revolution's ideological core. This study seeks to examine how the theological interpretations of freedom, as preached by colonial clergymen, contributed to justifying rebellion against British rule. This will be done through the examination of sermons and other documents from Hartford’s clergymen. This will highlight the intersection of religion, politics, and resistance in the revolutionary era in the British-American Colonies. This paper and work argues that Hartford’s clergymen played a crucial role in shaping colonial resistance through their religious rhetoric. Their sermons framed freedom as a theological principle that justified revolution when threatened. This study will contribute to the broader historiography of the American Revolution by showing how religion was not a background factor but a pivitol aspect to the shape in colonial resistance. This will be done through the examination of Hartford’s clergy, and connecting them to the larger ideological motivations for independence in the British-American Colonies.