Angelina's speech was very well thought out and incredibly necessary during this time in history. Women did not yet have the same rights and values applied to them as did the white men, and it is so empowering to know that women during this time were actually able to make a considerable impact in the societal views and changes for slavery. It takes strong people like this with views for a better future to stand up and make a difference. I am grateful for the changes that have taken place so far in society and hope for even further equality and value for all lives.

It feels like Nat Turner believed he was helping to heal people by spreading the words of his "revelation".

It is clear that Nat Turner was a religious man who believed and followed the words of his God. It seems as though he felt that he had been "spoken directly to" by God and was chosen to act as a prophet of sorts. As a Registered Nurse, in healthcare today this is a common occurrence with schizophrenia and several other mental health concerns. While I do not believe that the bible and religion in general is based off of words spoken from undiagnosed mental illnesses, I do believe that people act radically when they feel that they have been spoken to by God. They feel as they were chosen to be a prophet, that they have some knowledge that others aren't aware of and that they need to spread the word to others.

The imagery Edwards used in "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" though powerful now in the world we live in would've been even more revolutionary in its time. A sermon talking so much about suffering for all eternity and the idea of an unforgiving, angry God would have hit early Americans hard as a healthy life was so uncertain and the harsh New World so unforgiving. Imagine hearing this sermon after seeing most of your friends and family die from unknown disease and infection. This reminds me so much of the West borough Baptist Church's methods because it is solely meant to instill fear in people which would then "force" them into following Christianity. This would make sense as a tactic to use when expanding and trying to promote your religion and ensure that this religion "sticks" during expansion. It's jarring to read, but it obviously worked due to the amount of Christianity we see in the world today.