Everything Everywhere Daily · Sunday, September 6, 2026
George Whitefield, an itinerant preacher, is credited with spreading the Great Awakening across the 13 colonies. While legend states he crossed the Atlantic 13 times and preached extensively, his own records indicate he delivered an estimated 18,000 sermons. Research suggests his voice could have potentially reached audiences as large as 50,000 without amplification.
“Legend has it that Whitefield's relentless preaching schedule took him across the Atlantic Ocean 13 times and from Georgia to Maine.”
“Whitefield's own records indicate that during his travels, he gave an estimated 18,000 sermons.”
“Their findings, which were based on the assumption that Whitefield spoke at a very loud 90 decibels, much higher than the average 75 decibels, could have indeed reached an audience of as large as 50,000.”