History/Religion 345 – RELIGION IN AMERICA – October 3, 2005  

Religion & the American West  

TERMS TO KNOW:  

Be sure you know the key point(s) from all EIGHT of our readings:  

1. “Methodist Circuit Preacher” (1834)
2. “Narrative of the Massacre” (1836)
3. “First White Women” (1837)
4. “Western Colleges” (1843)
5. “Mormon Exodus” (1845)
6. “Justification by Scripture” (1846)

7. Szasz & Szasz, “Religion & Spirituality”

8. Berkhofer, “Temples in the Forest”

 

QUESTIONS  

1. We’re trying to understand religion’s impact on the frontier, and the frontier’s impact on religion.  Like SCIENTISTS, our first task is to GATHER OUR DATA.  We’ve got two sets of data – the first six readings are “primary sources,” that is, they’re “eye witness accounts.”  The last to readings are “secondary sources,” that is, they’re accounts by expert witnesses (who weren’t eye witnesses, but who are experts in the field).  Now, based on this material, make a LIST of 5-6 KEY POINTS you think important to understanding our frontier/religion question.  Your “key point” might be an event, a statistic, a quotation, an idea – any “clue” you think relevant.  Put these key points together – what do these clues tell us?

 

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Modified by:  H.  Kamerling