1. American Cultural
Reform

2. Transcendentalism
It taught that the spiritual world was more important than the physical world
A belief that there is a goodness in all man and nature
They trusted their inner moral spirit, feelings and emotions
Supported individualism, non-conformity,
Ralph Waldo Emerson led this movement

3. Henry David Thoreau
Because Thoreau believed in the importance of individualism, he urged people not to obey laws they considered unjust
I must walk toward Oregon,and not toward Europe. 
Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.
Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau promoted the idea of civil disobedience
Civil Disobedience is peacefully disobeying a law , instead of using violence
Thoreau refused to pay taxes to the U.S. Government, which he said enforced slavery and wrongly went to war with Mexico
Many of his ideas can be found in his book Walden

4. Hudson River School
The Hudson River School became famous for painting nature and landscapes
The school was founded by artist Thomas Cole in 1825 who was inspired by the natural beauty of New York’s Hudson River Valley

5. Thomas Cole
In 1825, America was still a new nation just forming its own unique identity and traditions. Thomas Cole invented a new style of art, the Hudson River School – one that Americans could call their own. His groundbreaking achievements took place here in Catskill, New York, just 100 miles north of New York City.

7. Instead of just using nature as a backdrop, their paintings showed the power and beauty of nature, often making humans insignificant

10. American artist John James Audubon painted birds and other animals in nature.
His Birds of America contained over 1,065 descriptions of birds, the most important work ever done on birds

11. American literature
American writers stressed imagination, creativity, emotion and nature
Edgar Allan Poe wrote terrifying horror and detective stories
Many of Emily Dickinson’s poems deal with themes of death and immortality
Noah Webster’s Dictionary gave American spellings and slang words…..not British

12. Because I could not stop for Death (712)
by Emily Dickinson
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

13. music Slaves would often communicate through spiritual songs
Battle Hymn of the republic was a patriotic anthem that became a song for the Union Army during the Civil War