Religion in Antebellum Kentucky

A look at the Christian religions in the Bluegrass State before the Civil War from the author of the acclaimed Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty.

Religion permeated the day-to-day life of antebellum Kentucky. This engaging account of Kentucky’s various Christian denominations, first published as part of the Kentucky Bicentennial Bookshelf, traces the history of the Great Revival of 1800–1805, the subsequent schism in Protestant ranks, the rise of Catholicism, the development of a distinctive black Christianity, and the growth of a Christian antislavery tradition.

Paying special attention to the role of religion in the everyday life of early Kentuckians and their heritage, John B. Boles provides a concise yet enlightening introduction to the faith and the people of the Bluegrass State. Religion in Antebellum Kentucky is an excellent survey of religion and its significance in the first eighty-five years of Kentucky’s history.

“A small historical gem . . . Boles has set an admirable standard of excellence for this sort of study.” —William and Mary Quarterly