Rachel Bryan and Kate Barnes

 A literary and philosophical movement associated with 19 th century writers and a small but active circle of New England educators, religious leaders, and social reformers during the time.  Began as a discussion club, but grew to affect the beliefs of later U.S writers and Americans in general.  Its main ideas and concerns (individualism, self-improvement, spiritualism, and moral protest) are still part of U.S. cultural practices and political attitudes.

THOREAUHIS WORK  One of the loudest Transcendental voices  Secluded himself in a cabin above Walden pond where he wrote his most famous work, Walden.  Although not seen as an exemplary figure of Transcendentalist views during his time, Thoreau is now considered the philosophical model of a Transcendentalist in the mid 19 th century.  Thoreau preached religious tolerance, moral soundness, love of nature, and the right to disobey unjust authority.  His most famous writings were Walden and Resistance to Civil Government.  Three thousand copies of Walden were printed, but fewer than three hundred copies were sold. Walden is now regarded as one of the most monumental pieces of literature.

 Idealism  The loud Transcendental figures such as Whitman and Emerson had religions, but did celebrate physical relationships. “Yet each of these figures shared a fundamental belief in a higher reality of ideas--in a metaphysical realm of spirit that is screened, and yet symbolically revealed, by the material world.”  Pantheism  Also known as “Natural Supernaturalism,” and considered by some as an American natural religion.  Similar to the Deist of the 18 th century, the universe and Enlightenment theories were extremely influential.  Optimism  Transcendentalist were overall optimists in that they knew the hardships of the human experience, but were convinced of the essential goodness and purposefulness of life.

 By many, transcendentalist figures were seen as questionable and “conspirators.”  However, most people looked at transcendentalists as doing something worth doing, but it just wasn’t for them, much like we look at the hippies from the 1960s.  Edgar Allan Poe severely criticized the movement, calling its members “frogpondians” and discredited their writings as “mysticism for mysticism’s sake.” He wrote a short story attacking the movement, referring to it as a disease.  One of Nathanial Hawthorne’s more popular novels, The Blithedale Romance, criticizes his short encounter with Brook Farm, a failed Utopian Society.

Brook Farm, New Harmony, Oneida, Shakers, and Mormons

 The western idea of utopian societies originated from ancient times– such as in the Garden of Eden and the Golden Age of Greek mythology.  The word “Utopia” originated from a 16 th century writer who introduced the word as a fictional paradisal island in the Atlantic ocean.  Deism, the second Great Awakening, and Enlightenment philosophies prepared the western world for Transcendentalist thought.

 West Roxbury, Massachusetts  Organized by George Ripley  Many famous names held shares in Brook Farm; e.g. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Fuller.  The community provided all necessities and education for its members.  A fire that burned down a brand new building, financial trouble, and a suit by Nathanial Hawthorne to regain his investment in the site led to its end in  Fueled Hawthorne’s novel The Blithedale Romance.

 John Humphrey Noyes  Born in Brattleboro, Vermont in 1811  Joined Andover Theological Seminary in November of 1831  Became involved in the nascent abolitionist movement  Founded the New Haven Anti- Slavery society and New Haven free church where he preached his radical beliefs.  Great emphasis on perfection being attainable in this life. Onedia Community Mansion House, Madison County, New Yorkhttp://

 His followers;  Became known as Perfectionists.  Practiced “complex marriage” and considered themselves married to the group, not one partner.  Practiced “bible communism”  Members were not accepted by the community of Putney, New York, so the group moved to Madison in 1847  Whole community lived together in one house in the 1850s  Ate communal meals, worked together to raise and educate children, and collaborated to achieve manufacturing success.  At it’s height 270 members lived together in the house.  In 1847 a meeting of ministers was held in Syracuse where the community was condemned.  Mede members uneasy, and Noyes fled to Canada on June 29, 1879  The community was officially ended in January 1881 when reconstructed as a Joint Stock Company.

 Beliefs;  Communal Living  Productive labor  Celibacy  Abstaining from marriage and sexual relationships for religious reasons.  Pacifism  The belief that violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances, and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.  Equality of sexes formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming

 6000 members before the civil war  Successful in making items for the outside commercial world  Moved focus from agriculture to handicrafts  e.g Furniture  Became known as “Shaker Style”  Had two main communities  Began in 1780s, but peaked from  Lived in same sex housing  Worked in it’s garden-seed industry

 Community had 15 buildings:  The Great Stone Dwelling  The Stone Mille Building  The West Meadow Barn  Laundry and Dairy  The East Brethren’s Shop  Mary Keane Chapel  Ministry House  West Brethren’s House The inside makeup of a Utopian Society  Hancock Shaker Village  Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village  Last remaining community

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7, Book of Mormon  Held the common Christian ideas until the early 1800s, when they believed Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Joseph Smith was considered a prophet similar to Moses or Abraham. God had always sent messengers to tech His plan.  The Mormons believed God gave Joseph Smith permission to baptize and teach others the steps they needed to take in order to return to live with God.

 Considered a continuation of the Bible  The book of Mormon contains the history and God’s word between 600BC and 400 AD.  Compiled by a man named Mormon onto golden plates.  The book of Mormon answers ‘questions of the soul’ 1. “Is there really a God?” 2. “Did I exist before I was born?” 3. “What happens after I die?” 4. “Does my life have a purpose?”  Divided into books like the bible

 Second President of the Mormon church  Born June 1 st 1801  Died August 29 th 1877  Years as President  Brigham Young University  Multiple Universities founded and directed by the church “'Mormonism' has made me all I am; and the grace, the power, and the wisdom of God will make me all that I ever will be, either in time or in eternity.”

 A branch of Mormon faith  Belief statement  “We are all spiritual children of a loving Heavenly Father who sent us to this earth to learn and grow in a mortal state. As Mormons, we are followers of Jesus Christ. We live our lives to serve Him and teach of His eternal plan for each of us.”

FIN

  New Oxford American Dictionary   w w  p?leader=2&topic=facts p?leader=2&topic=facts   What Hath God Wrought    Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. 2  engraving.jpg engraving.jpg