From the early 19th century through the early 20th century, thousands of Americans gathered regularly at remote campgrounds amidst the trees and grass of a still mostly rural nation, pitching tents to hear revival preachers at meetings that often lasted for several days and sometimes continued for weeks. During these gatherings, crowds enthusiastically listened to sermons and hymns, participated in prayer meetings, baptisms (and sometimes weddings), and reconnected with distant friends and family.
Accounts of the origins of camp meetings in America differ, but most trace the movement to revival gatherings that began in the southern and southeastern United States during the early 19th century, adapted from the “open air” preaching tradition popularized during the First Great Awakening. Although camp meetings drew participants from many denominations, some were more prevalent, especially Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists. Because of their existing tradition of circuit riders and outdoor worship, Methodists became particularly associated with the early camp meeting movement.
Across sparsely populated rural America, families traveled as far as 40 miles to attend the meetings. For those who lived in communities without an established church, camp meetings offered a rare opportunity for both religious and social fellowship. Amid the revival preaching and festive atmosphere, emotions could run high, and accounts frequently described expressive forms of worship, including spontaneous fainting, shouting, and dancing.
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