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Anti-Hero John Locke's belief that humanity could only observe the world and rationally analyze it was predominant at this time. It was the exact opposition of this belief that was the cornerstone of Transcendentalist philosphy.
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Hero A German philospher, Kant's writings were the basis of most of the principles of Transcendentalism- the movement is actually named after a passage in one of his texts.
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Significant Event Demonstrating the political tension of the time, a pro-slavery mob attacked a group of abolitionists in Charleston, SC, burning their writings and forcing them out of the state.
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Significant Event Thousands of Cherokee Indians forced to relocate to Oklahoma, killing thousands due to grueling travel conditions.
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Hero Ralph Waldo Emerson delivers a speech at the graduation of Harvard Divinity School, denouncing the Unitarian beliefs that he had held until this moment. He proclaims a belief in the human ability to be inspired directly by God, giving birth to the Transcendentalist Movement.
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Significant Event Mississippi becomes the first state to allow women to own property independent of their husbands. Women's rights was a major Transcendentalist issue.
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Hero On this date, Margaret Fuller becomes the managing editor of The Dial, a Transcendentalist journal imagined by Emerson. The Dial served as the primary mode of publication for Transcendentalist writers.
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Hero Founded by Amos Brownson Alcott. Similar to Brook Farm, Fruitlands was a commune in Harvard, MA that sought to provide an environment that helped members advance in spirit.
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Hero Brook Farm was a communal society which proposed to allow its members more time for reflection and time in nature by pooling labor and working together.
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Anti-Hero Written by Edgar Allen Poe, and lifelong critic of Transcendentalism, this short story mocks the movement's belief in the inherent good of mankind.
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Hero: In 1841, after a year of preaching unorthodox sermons, Parker officially denounces the Unitarian Church, stating a belief that people can experience God, and religious focus should be on individual growth.
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Significant Event Samuel Morse sends the first telegraph from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, MD.
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Significant Event The United States government and Texas legislation both pass bills agreeing the annexation of Texas into the US.
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Hero Thoreau not only talked about closeness with nature, he followed through and acted on this belief. Believing that he could only be one with God through nature, he lived for almost two years alone in a cabin in the woods. Picture of Walden Pond cabin
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Anti-Hero Drafted by Henry Clay, this set of Congressional Bills allowed California to enter the Union as a free state, but passed the Fugitive Slave Act in return. Many Transcendentalists spoke against slavery overall, and this bill in particular, because they believed all people had the right to pursue God.
