American Romanticism1800-1855

Westward Expansion Americans wanted land and money. Used brute force –in many cases- to rid

themselves of Native Americans.

Manifest Destiny

Americans saw the expansion as “manifest destiny”.

Mexican-American War broke out because of the land grab.

Henry David Thoreau emerged as a writer who questioned whether Americans had lost their moral conscience.

Industrial Revolution War of 1812 interrupted service with

Great Britain, thus the trading of goods was affected.

Americans began producing their own goods at a much greater rate.

Began leaving an agrarian economy, which caused unforeseen problems.

Workers generally labored as many as 16 hours a day for very low wages.

Industrial Revolution Harsh conditions hazardous to both

physical and emotional health. In most cases bosses/owners could

impose any rules – essentially no benefits.

All laborers were suffering, but this suffering was felt most acutely by slaves in the South as cotton was in great demand.

The Tragedy of Slavery Cotton production rose greatly between

1793-1860. Plantation owners (which weren’t plentiful)

believed slavery was absolutely necessary. Common farmers also wanted to use

slaves. The brutality connected with slavery

began to increase the tension between North and South.

Social Reform Romantic writers helped create

awareness of slavery’s cruelty. Many Americans begin to fight slavery &

other social problems. Abolitionist movement Workers’ rights Women’s movement

Nationalism vs Sectionalism John Quincy Adams strengthens the federal

government’s power. National interests begin to take precedence

over regional interests. Writers are no longer imitating their

European counterparts, but finding their own voices.

The South believed the North was getting rich at its expense & began to embrace sectionalism.

The Early Romantics Romantic literature celebrated emotion &

imagination. It rebelled against Puritans. Population explosion westward The writers were, generally, morally uplifting. They believed in the appreciation of nature

as well as the strength of individualism. They celebrated a simple life valuing nature

and imagination.

Famous Romantic Writers William Cullen Bryant Washington Irving Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau James Fennimore Cooper Generally, the Romantic writers disliked

the financial & commercial side of America.

American Gothic Writers Edgar Allen Poe Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman Melville These writers are part of the Romantic

group, but their writing is much darker. Focused on the human capacity for evil They believed that emotion & the

individual are not always positive.

Legacy of Romanticism Civil Rights Writers such as Stephen King Romantic Heroes

Indiana Jones