Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Transcendentalism Movement

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Transcendentalism first commenced in the 1830’s when Romanticism began to be felt in the United States. Transcendentalism is an unsecured movement that represents the ideas of thinkers who were active in New England in the 1830’s and 40’s. This group of thinkers were led by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Transcendentalism focused on philosophical and religious ideas, but it had some differences. “The Transcendentalists believed that intuition is a more valuable guide than sensory experience in grasping what nature really is” (“Optimism and Individualism” 180). Works Cited
“Optimism and Individualism.” Literature Georgia Treasures American Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: Glencoe, 2011. 180.

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