First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers - by Lisa Smith (Paperback)

About the Book

The First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers is a comprehensive, in-depth study of colonial American newspaper reporting on the First Great Awakening during the years 1739-1748. Lisa Smith uncovers both characteristics of the movement as presented by the papers as...

Book Synopsis

The First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers is a comprehensive, in-depth study of colonial American newspaper reporting on the First Great Awakening during the years 1739-1748. Lisa Smith uncovers both characteristics of the movement as presented by the papers as well as trends in reporting seen over time. Close analysis of regional reporting differences as well as changes in the newspaper presentation of key revivalists makes this work the most complete examination of the printed newspaper record of the First Great Awakening.

Review Quotes

[T]his study reaches beyond its statistics, especially in its chapter-long assessment of the three flamboyant newsmakers, Whitfield, Tennent, and Davenport. Retelling a familiar story from a new avenue of approach, it points the Butler thesis in a fresh and truly useful direction by providing both a needed model and a distinctive interpretation of a subject that continues to engage readers despite reports of its demise or claims that it never existed at all.

The Great Awakening of the eighteenth century was both religiously inspired and media driven. No book makes this point more effectively than Lisa Smith's The First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers. Her remarkable research makes this book a must-read for scholars and students of the Great Awakening.


While most previous studies have focused on one or two papers in major cities and often dealt only with one of George Whitefield's preaching tours, The First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers includes a number of papers from several major cities as well as a number of different colonies. Lisa Smith also looks beyond Whitefield to try and present a broader description of the Great Awakening, the people involved, and its impact. The inclusion of a variety of newspapers enables the author to present an in-depth comparison of how the revival was covered throughout the colonies over time and how people's reactions changed. The result is a very nuanced study of the press coverage of the revival. Scholars have long thought the Great Awakening was an important event in the development of the colonial newspapers, but Lisa Smith provides the detailed information to clearly back up that generalization.

About the Author

Lisa Smith is instructor and researcher at Pepperdine University.