American Transcendentalism and Reform Movements

📋 Course Outline

1. 19th-century American philosophical and literary influences including European romanticism and transcendentalism
2. Social reform movements in early 19th-century America
3. Industrialization and the Second Great Awakening as drivers of reform
4. Key reform leaders and their roles in abolitionism, women’s rights, and moral reform
5. Transcendentalism: concept, individual perception, and European philosophical origins
6. Emerson’s vision of American intellectual independence in "The American Scholar"
7. Thomas Cole and the emergence of a distinct American landscape painting
8. Thoreau’s "Walden" and the transcendentalist importance of solitude versus loneliness in nature appreciation

📖 1. 19th-century American philosophical and literary influences including European romanticism and transcendentalism

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• European Romanticism: a literary and philosophical movement originating in Europe that emphasizes a deep connection with nature and the importance of the individual’s emotional and subjective experience. It advocates for a focus on personal intuition and the natural world as sources of truth and inspiration.