Transcendental Movement In The 1800s
APUSH
November 4, 2013
Transcendental Movement of the 1800s
Transcendentalism was a religious, literary, and social movement that occurred between 1830 and 1855. Transcendentalists “…focused on personal spiritual awakening and individual self-gained insight; they were idealistic and embraced nature as they reacted against the increasingly commercial nature of the emerging American society.” [1] The Transcendental Club, where this movement received its name, met in the Boston area during this movement. At this club ten to twenty people would come to discuss previously chosen topics ranging from religion and morals to the more important beliefs of individualism and, most importantly, nature. Two of the most popular figures that majorly …show more content…
It first arose among New England Congregationalists, who differed from orthodox Calvinism on two issues. The first was that transcendentalists did not believe in and rejected predestination and they also stressed the unanimity rather than the trinity of God. They believed, in order to comprehend the divine, God, and the universe, one must transcend, or go beyond, the physical and emotional portrayals of normal human thought. Their beliefs include that all people are inherently good, humans can rise above to a higher spiritual plane; they transcend through intuition not reason, by learning from and living in harmony with nature, and as an individual; every human being is capable of transcending; after transcending one will want to do the right and moral thing and work toward the betterment of their society. At the heart of transcendentalist belief is the Over-Soul. This is the belief that says that all forms of being, by God, nature, and humanity, are united through a shared universal soul. The Over-Soul can also be seen as the Ideal or Supreme …show more content…
Transcendentalism had a much larger influence on social reforms than was originally planned. Its goals were originally intended for liberation of the soul, but as this movement grew its goals did also. It was taken as inspiration for liberation of slavery, women’s rights, labor reforms, and other movements. Even modern day reformers like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi were influenced by these beliefs. As Emerson once said, “America is another name for opportunity.”
November 4, 2013
Transcendental Movement of the 1800s
Transcendentalism was a religious, literary, and social movement that occurred between 1830 and 1855. Transcendentalists “…focused on personal spiritual awakening and individual self-gained insight; they were idealistic and embraced nature as they reacted against the increasingly commercial nature of the emerging American society.” [1] The Transcendental Club, where this movement received its name, met in the Boston area during this movement. At this club ten to twenty people would come to discuss previously chosen topics ranging from religion and morals to the more important beliefs of individualism and, most importantly, nature. Two of the most popular figures that majorly …show more content…
It first arose among New England Congregationalists, who differed from orthodox Calvinism on two issues. The first was that transcendentalists did not believe in and rejected predestination and they also stressed the unanimity rather than the trinity of God. They believed, in order to comprehend the divine, God, and the universe, one must transcend, or go beyond, the physical and emotional portrayals of normal human thought. Their beliefs include that all people are inherently good, humans can rise above to a higher spiritual plane; they transcend through intuition not reason, by learning from and living in harmony with nature, and as an individual; every human being is capable of transcending; after transcending one will want to do the right and moral thing and work toward the betterment of their society. At the heart of transcendentalist belief is the Over-Soul. This is the belief that says that all forms of being, by God, nature, and humanity, are united through a shared universal soul. The Over-Soul can also be seen as the Ideal or Supreme …show more content…
Transcendentalism had a much larger influence on social reforms than was originally planned. Its goals were originally intended for liberation of the soul, but as this movement grew its goals did also. It was taken as inspiration for liberation of slavery, women’s rights, labor reforms, and other movements. Even modern day reformers like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi were influenced by these beliefs. As Emerson once said, “America is another name for opportunity.”