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Cultural Nationalism : (Early 19th Century )

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Cultural Nationalism : (Early 19th Century )

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The generation of Americans that became adults in the first decades of the 19th century had concerns that differed from those of the nation's founders. The young were excited about the prospects of the new nation expanding westward and had little interest in European politics now that the Napoleonic wars (as well as the War of 1812) were in the past. As fervent nationalists, they believed their young country was entering an era of unlimited prosperity. Patriotic themes infused every aspect of American society, from art to schoolbooks.

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In Europe, during the early years of the 19th century, artists and writers shifted away from the Enlightenment emphasis on reason, order, and balance and toward intuition, feelings, individual acts of heroism, and the study of nature. This new movement, known as romanticism, was most clearly expressed in the United States of America by the transcendentalists, a small group of New England thinkers.  

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A Challenging Culture: Ideas, the Arts, and Literature : (Early 19th Century)

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A Challenging Culture: Ideas, the Arts, and Literature : (Early 19th Century)

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One Transcendentalist  : Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)                                                                                                                        

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One Transcendentalist  : Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)                                                                                                                        

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Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) : In his lifetime, Ralph Waldo Emerson became the most widely known man of letters in America, establishing himself as a prolific poet, essayist, popular lecturer, and an advocate of social reforms who was nevertheless suspicious of reform and reformers. Not only that but he even made a report on "History" which is an essay by himself that explores the nature and importance of historical understanding. Emerson argues that history is not simply a collection of facts and events, but rather a living and dynamic force that can inspire and guide human action in the present.

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Another Transcendentalist : Henry David Thoreau  (1817-1862)                           

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Another Transcendentalist : Henry David Thoreau  (1817-1862)                           

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Thoreau established the tradition of nature writing later developed by the Americans John Burroughs and John Muir, and his pioneer study of the human uses of nature profoundly influenced such conservationists and regional planners as Benton MacKaye and Lewis Mumford. He even did the his most famous essay, “Civil Disobedience,” which was first published in May 1849 under the title “Resistance to Civil Government.” The essay received little attention until the 20th century, when it found an eager audience with the American civil rights movement.

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Lastly another transcendentalist ideal? Book Farm (1841)

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Lastly another transcendentalist ideal? Book Farm (1841)

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Brook Farm Could a community of people live out the transcendentalist ideal? In 1841, George Ripley, a Protestant minister, launched a communal experiment at Brook Farm in Massachusetts. His goal was to achieve “a more natural union between intellectual and manual labor.” Living at Brook Farm at times were some of the leading intellectuals of the period. Emerson went, as did Margaret Fuller, a feminist (advocate of women’s rights) writer and editor; Theodore Parker, a theologian and radical reformer; and Nathaniel Hawthorne, a novelist. A bad fire and heavy debts forced the end of the experiment in 1849. But Brook Farm was remembered for its atmosphere of artistic creativity, its innovative school, and its appeal to New England’s intellectual elite and their children.

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One attempt to create a purposefully structured society was Brook Farm. Withdrawing from mainstream society in order to establish an ideal community, or utopia, in a novel environment was not a novel concept. However, the number of social experiments during the antebellum period was unusual. Over a hundred experimental communities found success in the open lands of the United States. One kind of religious collective endeavor was undertaken by the founding members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
One example of a ideology, or humanistic, experiment was Brook Farm. These "backwoods utopias" show the variety of reform ideologies of the era, despite the fact that many of the communities were temporary.

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The Shakers, one of the earliest religious communal movements in America, reached their peak in the 1840s with around 6,000 members. Founded by Ann Lee, they practiced strict celibacy, forbidding marriage and sexual relations, and held property in common. Their communities emphasized gender equality and pacifism, and worship. Despite their initial contributions to American craftsmanship, the Shaker movement declined by the mid-1900s due to a lack of new recruits. In contrast, the Amana Colonies in Iowa, established by German Pietists, allowed for marriage and continue to thrive today. Secular experiments like Robert Owen's New Harmony in Indiana aimed to address social inequities caused by the Industrial Revolution but ultimately failed due to financial difficulties and internal conflicts. Meanwhile, the Oneida Community in New York, founded by John Humphrey Noyes, embraced a controversial system of shared property and partners while achieving economic success through high-quality silverware production.

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In the 1840s, the ideas of French socialist Charles Fourier gained popularity in America, offering an alternative to the era's competitive society. Fourier proposed a system of communal living and working arrangements called Phalanxes. These communities were designed to promote cooperation and shared resources among their members.

The Fourier Phalanx movement briefly flourished in the United States, with several experimental communities established across the country. However, the concept ultimately failed to take root in American society. The individualistic nature of American culture proved incompatible with the communal lifestyle advocated by Fourier, leading to the rapid decline of these utopian experiments.

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The Age of Jackson, or Jacksonian Era, saw democratic and reforming impulses manifest in arts and architecture. Painting: Genre painting became popular, depicting everyday life, exemplified by George Caleb Bingham and William S. Mount. The Hudson River School, with artists like Thomas Cole and Frederick Church, celebrated American landscapes. Architecture: Inspired by classical Athens, American architecture adopted Greek styles to reflect democratic ideals, featuring columned facades on public buildings and homes.These artistic expressions mirrored the era's democratic spirit and fascination with the natural world.

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During the post-War of 1812 period, American literature flourished with a distinct Romantic yet nationalistic flavor. Washington Irving set his tales, like “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” in American settings, capturing the nation’s imagination with folklore and supernatural elements. James Fenimore Cooper’s “Leatherstocking Tales” glorified frontier life. Nathaniel Hawthorne explored societal norms in works like “The Scarlet Letter.” Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” delved into complex cultural themes. Edgar Allan Poe’s works, such as “The Raven,” focused on the mysterious and irrational aspects of human nature, contributing to a uniquely American literary identity.