Exam 12: Responses to Expansion and Change, 1828-1848

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Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that emerged in the early 19th century in the United States. It developed as a reaction against the general state of intellectualism and spirituality at the time. The movement was rooted in the belief that individuals could transcend, or go beyond, the physical world and its empirical understanding through personal intuition, which was thought to be a direct connection to the essential truths of the universe.

The transcendentalist movement was heavily influenced by Romanticism, particularly its emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the glorification of nature. Key figures in the transcendentalist movement included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and Amos Bronson Alcott. They and other transcendentalists believed that society and its institutions—particularly organized religion and political parties—corrupted the purity of the individual. They had faith that people are at their best when truly self-reliant and independent.

Transcendentalists valued the following:

1. **Intuition and the Inner Light**: They believed that every individual possesses an inner light that can illuminate truth and that direct experience with this inner light is a source of knowledge that surpasses sensory experience.

2. **Nature**: They saw nature as a reflection of the divine and believed that by studying nature, individuals could learn about themselves and the universe.

3. **Self-Reliance**: Emphasizing the need for individuals to avoid conformity and false consistency, and instead follow their own instincts and ideas.

4. **Nonconformity**: They advocated for nonconformity and civil disobedience as acts of political and social protest against unjust laws and societal norms.

5. **Simplicity**: Many transcendentalists believed that a simple life, close to nature, was ideal for personal and spiritual growth.

Transcendentalism has had a lasting impact on American culture, influencing subsequent movements such as the environmental movement and various strains of philosophical and spiritual thought. Its ideas are reflected in the works of later writers and thinkers, and it has contributed to an ongoing American tradition of skepticism toward established institutions and a focus on the subjective experience of the individual.