The Great Awakening was a spiritual movement that began around 1730 in the middle colonies. It was driven primarily by these people; Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational pastor in Massachusetts; Theodore J. Frelinghuysen, a Dutch Byterian pastor in New Jersey; Gilbert Tennent, a Presbyterian minister from New Jersey; and George Whitefield, an itinerant Methodist preacher from New England. The best known leader was George Whitefield. At the beginning of the very first Great Awakening it appeared especially among the Presbyterians of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Presbyterians initiated religious revivals during these times. During this period they also started a seminary to train priests. The original name of the seminary was Log College, it is now known as Princeton University. In the 1740s the clergy of these churches conducted revivals throughout that area. The Great Awakening spread from Presbyterians in the middle colonies to Congregationalists (Puritans) and Baptists in New England. The Great Awakening led to the growth of the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. In revivalist services music played a very important role in bringing people to accept Jesus. Preachers used the singing of hymns, psalms and spirituals as a form of emotional connection and bond with their congregation. The results in America were astonishing: at least 50,000 souls were added to New England churches out of an astonishing population of only 250,000 people. The Great Awakening also affected over one hundred cities in the central states. Bible-based schools and universities also multiplied during this period. The main bringer of this revival was George Whitefield, an itinerant Methodist preacher from New England. George Whitefield preached in the areas of America and England from the periods of 1740 to 1770. George Whitefield's revivals led to many people converting to Christianity, since so many people were converting to Christians, the Great Awakening spread from America to England. George Whitefield was born on December 16, 1714 in Gloucester, England. George Whitefield's father died when he was only two years old. He grew up phenomenally like a normal child, even though he lost his father at such a young age. When George Whitefield was a child he contracted a severe case of measles that left him cross-eyed for the rest of his life. At the age of fifteen George Whitefield convinced his mother to let him drop out of school.