Romanticism 1798-1832

To Think About In This Unit Power—Who holds it? What will those in power do to keep it? What happens when citizens have no say in how their country is managed? What, if anything, should be done to combat extreme wealth disparity? Look for ways in which Romanticism is related to Transcendentalism (Emerson, Thoreau, etc.) Nature—What is the correct response to the natural world, and how can the world be left a better place for future generations? Should we attempt to manipulate nature, or should we leave it alone? Is it too late to save our planet?

Revolutions The Industrial Revolution *Started in the late 1700s *Shift from farming and handmade goods to machine manufacturing in industrial factories *Coal and steam replaced wind and water *Cities grew as did poverty, slums, & disease *Romantic writers abhorred these changes

Laissez Faire and the Luddites Laissez Faire, French for “allow to do”, argued that an economy works best without government interference. This was the dominant belief in England; consequently, there were few laws to regulate factory safety, workers’ hours/wages, and child labor. The Luddite Riots occurred when large numbers of factory workers lost their jobs due to the widespread use of new machinery in factories. The workers retaliated by destroying as much machinery as they could. In addition, the Corn Laws kept food prices high which negatively impacted the poor & unemployed. Finally, labor unions were illegal, and workers could be killed (11-20, 500+ in the Peterloo Massacre) just for holding meetings in an attempt to organize & improve working conditions.

Revolutions The American Revolution Began in 1775 and ended in 1783 America won its freedom and Great Britain lost her colonies Romantic writers generally supported the American cause

Revolutions The French Revolution Began in 1789 A democratic protest against royal despotism An assertion of human equality generally supported by the Romantic writers

Revolutions Latin American Revolutions Began in the early 1790s A series of revolts against Spanish rule By 1824, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, and Bolivia had become independent

The Napoleonic Wars France and Great Britain engaged in warfare from 1793 to 1815 Napoleon was ultimately defeated at Waterloo in 1815

The War of 1812 Great Britain’s unsuccessful attempt to win back America Took place from 1812 to 1814 The United States was victorious

Romanticism Basics A reaction against the Enlightenment *Feelings vs. Reason *Extremes vs. Moderation *Nonconformity vs. Conformity *The Poet vs. The Intellectual *Experience in Nature vs. Classroom Studies *Common People vs. Aristocrats *The idea that people are born Good vs. the idea that people are born Evil

Romanticism and Humanity Jean-Jacques Rousseau greatly influenced Romantic era writers. He believed in the following ideas: *Humans are born good, curious, & content *Society eventually corrupts humans *A new way of education that focused on the natural world and the inner person could offset some of that corrupting influence *Emotion should be emphasized over reason

Romanticism and the Imagination Romantic writers valued the wild, untamed side of the imagination Romantic writers also embraced the irrational side of the imagination as well (e. g. the stories of E.A. Poe)

Romanticism and Nature Romantic writers preferred their nature to be wild and untamed They preferred to be in places that had been unspoiled by man and the newly-built factories of the Industrial Revolution They also warned against scientific attempts to change or meddle with nature (e. g. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)

Romanticism and the Search for Truth Most of the Romantic writers were political radicals who were ardent supporters of the French Revolution They saw the French Revolution as a victory for the common man and equality When the French Revolution devolved into a slaughter during the Reign of Terror, the romantic writers became disillusioned

Romanticism and the Search for Beauty The Romantic writers found beauty in faraway lands and new and unusual cultures They did not always travel to such places; instead, they often used their imaginations Romantic writers also found beauty and inspiration in some of the strange beliefs and rituals of the Middle Ages

Right Now…….. Questions 1-5, 6, 9, 10 on page 588 *Please work on any of the following that you are missing: Questions 1-5, 6, 9, 10 on page 588 Questions 1-4, 8, 9, 10 on page 599 Questions 1-6, 8, 9 on page 632 Satire Packet (“Advice to Youth”) Questions 1-10 on page 655 Unit #4 Preview Questions Unit #3 Quiz (from Friday) *Show me Gigs 41-60 if I have not yet checked them.