The Proclamation Act of 1763 was the last major obstacle for westward expansion, and its removal naturally led to an increase in the supply of land. By 1815, Americans occupied land as far West as the Rocky Mountains, and the acquisition of Florida in 1819 encouraged Americans to spread further South as well. New York, with its 100 000 inhabitants, was America’s largest city, yet more than ninety percent of Americans still lived in rural communities. One might say that America in some ways had stagnated, because the surplus of land had given little incentive to industrial development. However, from a population level of 8.4 million in 1815, the number of Americans would more than double to 17.4 million in 1840 (Watson 18). This tremendous population growth illustrates the dramatic impact of the industrial revolution, and also how relatively insignificant the current information technology revolution can seem in a historic perspective. Thus, considering the revolution’s impact on the average American, it is perhaps not surprising that the Second Great Awakening originated in one of the regions that first felt the demographic pressures, namely New England.

The New England Puritans, from the early beginning of the colonies, practiced an egalitarian system of land distribution, in which land generally was inherited and split up among the sons. This practice did, however, prove increasingly difficult to continue as the farms after numerous divisions were becoming too small. Consequently, farmers were pressured to adopt scientific methods of farming, and sons who ended up without land were forced to try their luck elsewhere. Increased agricultural production supported the industrial revolution, as did the surplus of labor power. The "Market Revolution" was additionally stimulated by improved infrastructure, which ultimately ensured that the farmers’ products could reach their markets. Large-scale manufacturing started developing in the 1820’s, and many young boys moved to the cities where they soon were subjected to the alienation and discipline of industrial labor. Needless to say, this development contributed to a breakdown of the established social order, and consequently a need for new social values and order came into existence. Religion would ultimately serve as a provider of stability in an otherwise changing world; Marx even argued that religion is similar to opium in the sense that it makes the workers content. Even though it is debatable whether the bourgeois intentionally brought the Second Great Awakening upon the masses, it does at least seem clear that the upper classes benefited greatly from the increased importance of religion.

While the process of industrialization took place in the east, communities in the south certainly also felt the impact of the revolution on technology and infrastructure. But their lives were not changed in the same way. The cotton industry was booming, thus boosting the demand for slaves. In 1820, almost half the populations of Alabama and Mississippi were slaves, the latter representing an economic system quite different from that of the east (Watson, 23). As the industrialization primarily was an eastern phenomenon, it is beneficial to focus on this region when discussing the industrial revolution’s influence on the Second Great Awakening.

In Democracy in America Alexander de Tocqueville expressed his amazement at the "equality of conditions" he felt existed in America, thereby pointing out another aspect of American culture that had started changing (Watson 32). Home and workplace had traditionally been in the same building, thereby making the relationship between employer and employee a rather personal one. The industrial revolution stimulated a divergence of the home and workplace though, leaving workers isolated from their employers, and sometimes even alienated from their work. This, and the other fundamental changes of the social structure, helped lead to the Second Great Awakening, whose influence on American society was dramatic.

Even though the Second Great Awakening describes a period of time that spans more than a decade, the revival of 1831 constituted a climax in terms of religious enthusiasm. Some church congregations in the northern United States doubled in size, and the evangelist Lyman Beecher stated that the awakening of 1831 "was the greatest work of God, and the greatest revival of religion, that the world has ever seen" (Johnson 5). There are generally two ways to explore the background of the Second Great Awakening: A focus on religion itself, and a focus on religion’s foundation in the social order. The religious revival helped build a sense of common purpose among the modern industrial workers. However, some historians also argue that "Evangelicalism was a middle-class solution to problems of class, legitimacy, and order generated in the early stages of manufacturing" (Johnson 138). While there are many different theories explaining the Second Great Awakening, no one questions the importance of the industrial revolution as a driving factor behind the revivals. Yet, as this only explains part of the background, perhaps one will never fully comprehend exactly what made the evangelists’ teaching of free will and of man’s ability to choose his own destiny so appealing. It is, however, easier to explore how the Second Great Awakening helped fuel the creation of the many contemporary voluntary associations.

An important part of the evangelist preaching was that of compassion and Christian love, which in its nature encourages the formation of voluntary organizations. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are, for instance, famous examples of organizations founded on Christian ideals. There are, however, other theories that can help create a more conclusive picture, one of which is economic in nature.

An important outcome of the breakdown of the established social order was alcoholism, as many workers turned to the bottle to escape the alienation they felt in the workplace. The Temperance Reformers was one of the first voluntary organizations formed to deal with the problem of drunkenness. Consisting of wealthy men with high positions in society, the national movement sought to end drunkenness through persuasion. Obviously, the Temperance Reformers hoped to "translate power into authority" (Johnson 80), and the nature of this strategic plan truly illustrates how the social classes diverged during the industrial revolution. Even though the founders of the Temperance Movement undoubtedly were religiously-inspired, the results of their efforts show that economic goals were the driving factors behind the founding. While the organization had some success in eliminating drinking in the workplace, drinking continued in the working class neighborhoods. One can thus argue that the Temperance Movement was formed as much on the basis of economic incentives as on religious ones. The Sabbatarian Movement was formed as a result of the Temperance Movement’s failure, and the more authoritative instrument of force replaced persuasion. While the Sabattarians were idealistic in terms of what they wanted to achieve, their ignorance of the working class stood in the way of achieving any viable results. Instead, their arrogant message of force made people on both sides realize that the industrial revolution had created a divergence between the classes, a difference that had made productive communication impossible. In defense of the evangelists, though, many of the workers who joined churches, and thus became respectable citizens during the Second Great Awakening, often benefited from this economically. Religion did, in other words, help one climb the social ladder.

The industrialization led to a shortage of labor, and the new industries therefore became dependent upon hiring women. This again led to increasing differences between the classes, and idleness became the ideal for proper ladies. This idleness thus led to the organizing of the first women’s movement, a fact that shows how the industrial revolution influenced all layers of the population. Because the industrial revolution, in contrast to the current technology revolution, virtually removed the cornerstones of American society, the result was that people had to search for something new to replace the missing parts. Initially, a greater importance was put on religion to compensate for what had been lost, and various attempts were made by the upper classes to recreate what had been. Yet, ultimately the industrial revolution caused the southern and eastern states to drift even further apart. Unfortunately, religion did not prove a sufficient replacement for the societal balance that was lost during the industrial revolution. Perhaps inevitably, the nation had to experience a civil war before finally coming to peace with itself.