Paul E. Johnson's A Shopkeeper's Millennium is praised for its detailed exploration of the intersection between religious revival and social change in early 19th-century America. Readers appreciate its thorough research and engaging narrative. However, some find the analysis occasionally dense and challenging to follow. Overall, it is a compelling study that blends history and sociology effectively.

A reader fascinated by early American history, religious movements, and socio-economic change will enjoy A Shopkeeper's Millennium by Paul E. Johnson. Similar to Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville, it appeals to those intrigued by the interplay between religion and societal transformation in antebellum America.

In A Shopkeeper's Millennium, historian Paul E. Johnson analyzes the social factors that led to Rochester, New York's religious revival in the 1830s, driven by economic and class tensions. The book explores how industrialization, political disputes, and class divisions spurred temperance and Sabbatarian movements, ultimately inviting minister Charles Finney to preach. Finney’s revival successfully united denominations, appealed to the middle class, and led to increased evangelical activism, with employers pushing workers towards church membership, thus intertwining religious fervor with economic discipline. The narrative includes discussions of problematic drinking behaviors.

Informative / Mysterious / Challenging / Contemplative / Emotional

- A Shopkeeper's Millennium explores how the religious revival in Rochester, New York during the early 19th century was intertwined with the social and economic changes influenced by the Industrial Revolution.
- The book demonstrates how the Second Great Awakening had profound effects on community dynamics, shaping the values and behaviors of its citizens, especially connecting industrial discipline with religious commitment.
- Paul E. Johnson uses a variety of historical sources, including church records, censuses, and personal letters, to illustrate the transformation of American society through the lens of one city’s experience.

**Paul E. Johnson**  
A historian known for his work in social history, particularly his detailed analysis of class divisions in historical periods. He is the author of books such as The Shopkeeper’s Millennium.

**Charles Finney**  
A prominent evangelical preacher in the 1820s and 1830s, known for leading a religious revival in Rochester, New York, and advocating for free will over predestination in Protestant theology.

**Nathaniel Rochester**  
An early land purchaser in what would become Rochester, New York, and a significant public leader in the city's political and civic development.

**Elder Josiah Bissell**  
The preacher at Rochester’s Third Presbyterian Church and a leader in the city’s Sabbatarian movement, known for founding the Pioneer Line, a Sabbath-observing boat company.

**Lyman Beecher**  
A Boston minister whose preaching played a significant role in launching a nationwide temperance movement, affecting local societies such as the one in Rochester.

**Thurlow Weed**  
A member of the Clintonian political faction in Rochester, known for his role in stirring controversy over the Masonic influence on local politics through his publication efforts.

**William Morgan**  
A stonemason from Batavia whose denied entry into the Masons and subsequent exposé led to widespread controversy over Masonry’s influence, resulting in his disappearance.

**Alexis de Tocqueville**  
A 19th-century French diplomat famous for his work Democracy in America, which provides insights into the social and democratic context of 1830s America.

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A Shopkeeper’s Millennium: Society and Revivals in Rochester, New York, 1815–1837

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