Fiveable
Fiveable

or

Log in

Find what you need to study


Light

Find what you need to study

4.9 The Development of an American Culture

6 min readjanuary 21, 2023

Robby May

Robby May

S

Sally Kim

Jed Quiaoit

Jed Quiaoit

Robby May

Robby May

S

Sally Kim

Jed Quiaoit

Jed Quiaoit

Significant Growth Cultural Development!

During the period between 1800 and 1848, the United States experienced significant growth and change. The nation expanded westward through the and the , and the population grew rapidly as immigrants poured in from Europe. This expansion and growth brought about a new national culture that was a blend of American elements, European influences, and regional cultural sensibilities. 🇺🇸

One of the key American elements that contributed to this new national culture was . The principles of , such as self-government and individual liberty, were deeply ingrained in American culture and became increasingly important during this period.

European influences, such as the Enlightenment ideals of rationality and progress, also played a significant role in shaping the new national culture.

Regional cultural sensibilities also played an important role in the emergence of this new national culture. The different regions of the United States had their own distinct cultures, and these cultures blended together to form a new national culture. For example, the culture of the South was heavily influenced by the legacy of and the , while the culture of the North was shaped by the rise of and .

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-GxuzeA02yTb3.webp?alt=media&token=d1146880-3ce0-443a-8aa0-a484b356b6f1

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

This new national culture was reflected in the literature, art, and architecture of the period.

  • American writers, such as and , began to create a distinct American literary tradition.

  • American painters, such as and , began to create a distinct American school of painting.

  • American architects, such as and , began to create a distinct American architectural style.

In this section, we'll go over notable cultural developments during said period of enormous growth.

Immigration

were motivated to move to America primarily due to the devastating in Ireland that led to widespread poverty and famine. However, upon arriving in America, they faced significant discrimination due to their and had to compete with African Americans for low-paying jobs. Many were forced to take on domestic work and unskilled labor positions due to their limited skills and lack of financial resources. Despite these challenges, many became involved in local politics and joined the . 🇮🇪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-Vb4TY6QQD9zF.jpg?alt=media&token=e2c02376-4b57-4116-9c43-96a79ed3acc6

Source: IrishCentral

Germans also immigrated to America in large numbers due to economic hardships and failed democratic revolutions in their home country. These immigrants tended to have more skills and resources than the Irish, and many of them moved westward to build farms. However, they had limited political influence and often found themselves at odds with the nativist, anti-immigrant sentiment that was prevalent in the country. Despite this, many were strong supporters of and opposed . 🇩🇪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-Th6ZlS8lK1AN.jpg?alt=media&token=d42c4f1f-7e3f-463b-a49a-42b231208b32

Source: German Letters

The influx of immigrants in the mid-19th century led to widespread fear and mistrust among native-born Americans. Many believed that immigrants would take their jobs and change their culture, and as a result, many people who were against immigration tended to vote for the . , who reacted most strongly to the presence of foreigners, were typically Protestants who distrusted the Roman Catholicism practiced by the Irish and many of the Germans.

The opposition to immigrants led to sporadic rioting and the formation of a secret, anti-foreign society known as the in the 1840s.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-sIfpmxd8WuXU.jpg?alt=media&token=2e02cba4-a1f6-4e50-9bdb-45a780ecf8cc

Source: Immigrant Archives

Art and Literature

Liberal ideas from Europe, such as , individual rights, and equality, were brought to America by immigrants and by American travelers who visited Europe. These ideas were embraced by American writers, thinkers, and artists, who began to incorporate them into their work. American literature, for example, began to reflect the values of and individual liberty, as seen in the works of and . 🗽

was another influential movement that emerged in this period. emphasized emotion, imagination, and the beauty of nature. This movement also believed in the perfectibility of humanity, and that individuals could reach a higher level of understanding and morality through the power of imagination and emotion. This idea was reflected in the works of American poets such as and , and painters such as and .

The , the first American school of art, emphasized the power and beauty of nature. It often showed the fear of westward expansion destroying nature.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-O0kn3mcrNhVS.webp?alt=media&token=49209f6c-1046-4276-bb0b-0e6d78e6b724

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

Transcendentalism

was a form of American philosophy that emerged in the early 19th century, emphasizing the importance of intuition and spiritual connection to the divine. This philosophy rejected traditional Puritan beliefs and the rationalism of the Unitarian Church, instead promoting individualism and self-sufficiency.

One of the key figures in the development of was . He wrote extensively on the philosophy and its principles, including the influential essay "," which championed the idea that individuals should trust their own intuition and inner guidance rather than relying on external authority.

Emerson's friend, , was also a prominent transcendentalist and wrote a book called , which detailed his experiences living in a cabin in the woods and his beliefs in simplicity and self-sufficiency. Thoreau was also a proponent of , the idea that individuals have a moral duty to disobey unjust laws.

He famously served time in jail for refusing to pay taxes in protest of the and . Together, Emerson and Thoreau were instrumental in shaping the transcendentalist movement and the ideas it espoused. 🚓

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-lLgHQhfjxnSK.jpg?alt=media&token=8e6390ac-81a4-4f6c-977c-d330e4ae9f4b

Source: HowStuffWorks History

Communal Experiments

The idea of creating an ideal community or utopia by withdrawing from conventional society and starting anew in a different setting was not a new concept in the antebellum period. However, during this time, there were a significant number of experiments in communal living, with many different groups attempting to establish their own utopian communities.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Shakers_Dancing.jpg

Source: Wikimedia

One of the earliest religious communal movements was the . Founded by in the late 18th century, the group had grown to include about 6,000 members in various communities by the 1840s. believed that she was the feminine incarnation of Christ and advocated for a new theology based on sexual equality. 🤝

The group was named for their ritual dance and was known for its communal ownership, strict celibacy, and minimal contact with the outside world. They believed that was imminent, which contributed to their isolation from society. The held property in common and kept men and women strictly separate, forbidding marriage and sexual relations. However, the movement eventually died out by the mid-1900s due to a lack of new recruits.

🎥 Watch: AP US History - Abolitionism and Other Reforms

Key Terms to Review (36)

Asher Durand

: Asher Durand was an American painter of the Hudson River School. He was known for his detailed portrayals of nature scenes that captured both their physical details and emotional resonance.

Christ's Second Coming

: In Christian theology, Christ's Second Coming, also known as the Parousia, refers to the future return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to Earth. This event is prophesied in the New Testament and is anticipated by Christians as a time of final judgment and the establishment of God's kingdom.

Civil Disobedience

: Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government.

Democracy

: Democracy is a form of government where power rests with the people, who either rule directly or through elected representatives.

Democratic Party

: The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States. Founded around 1828, it supports a range of social equality issues including affordable healthcare, education reform, labor rights and climate change action.

Enlightenment Ideals

: Enlightenment ideals refer to the philosophical ideas that emerged during the 18th century European Enlightenment period. These include principles such as reason, liberty, progress, tolerance, and separation of church and state.

German Immigrants

: German immigrants are people who moved from Germany to America, especially during the 19th century due to economic hardships and political unrest in Germany.

Henry David Thoreau

: Henry David Thoreau was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher in the 19th century. He is best known for his book "Walden," a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience," an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most popular American poets in the 19th century known for his lyric poems that often presented stories from mythology and legend.

Hudson River School

: An American art movement in the mid-19th century characterized by landscapes that romanticize nature, particularly scenes along the Hudson River Valley and surrounding areas including the Catskill, Adirondack, and White Mountains.

Industry

: Industry refers to the production of goods or related services within an economy. It involves a range of business activities, such as manufacturing, mining, construction, and utilities.

Irish Immigrants

: Irish immigrants are people who moved from Ireland to America, especially during mid-19th century due to potato famine in Ireland.

James Fenimore Cooper

: James Fenimore Cooper was an early American writer whose historical novels depict frontier life; he's best known for his five "Leatherstocking Tales," including "The Last of the Mohicans."

Louisiana Purchase

: The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France in 1803, where the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million.

Mexican-American War

: The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was a conflict between Mexico and America that followed America's annexation of Texas, which Mexico still considered its territory despite an independent Texan Republic existing since 1836.

Mother Ann Lee

: Mother Ann Lee was the leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, also known as the Shakers.

Nativists

: Nativists were individuals or groups in the United States who favored the interests of native-born people over those of immigrants. They often expressed anti-immigrant sentiments and supported policies that restricted immigration.

Plantation System

: The plantation system was an agricultural practice in which large farms (plantations) relied on the forced labor of enslaved people to grow cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar.

Potato Crop Failures

: This term refers to the catastrophic event in the mid-19th century, particularly in Ireland, where potato crops were destroyed by a disease known as late blight. This led to widespread famine and mass emigration.

Public education

: Public education refers to schooling that is provided and funded by government entities with appointed educators. It's available to all children regardless of their socio-economic status.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

: Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist who led the transcendentalist movement in the mid-19th century.

Robert Mills

: Robert Mills was an American architect who designed many important structures in the early 19th century, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Treasury Building.

Roman Catholic Religion

: One of the oldest branches of Christianity with its own unique set of doctrines and practices including belief in seven sacraments, veneration of saints, and recognition of the Pope as its spiritual leader.

Romanticism

: Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature.

Self-Reliance

: "Self-Reliance" is an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson that contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes, the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow their own instincts and ideas.

Shakers

: The Shakers, officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearance, were a religious sect that emerged during the 18th century. They believed in communal living, pacifism, and celibacy.

Slavery

: Slavery is a system in which individuals, known as slaves, are treated as property and forced to work without consent or pay. In the context of US history, it refers primarily to the African slave trade from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner

: The Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner was a secret society founded in 1850. It was anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant, reflecting nativist fears and prejudices of the time.

Thomas Cole

: Thomas Cole was an English-born American painter known for his landscape and history paintings. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School—an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century.

Thomas Ustick Walter

: Thomas Ustick Walter was an American architect during the 19th century known for designing parts of the United States Capitol building, including its iconic dome.

Transcendentalism

: Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the eastern United States. It advocated for intuition over empirical observation, believing that individuals could transcend sensory experience for deeper spiritual insight.

Urbanization

: Urbanization refers to the process where an increasing percentage of a country's population comes to live in towns and cities rather than rural areas.

Walden: Or Life in the Woods

: "Walden" is a book written by Henry David Thoreau about his experiment living simply and self-sufficiently near Walden Pond in Massachusetts.

Washington Irving

: Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer, and historian of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," both of which appear in his book 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.'

Whig Party

: The Whig Party was a political party active in the middle of the 19th century in the United States. It was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party.

William Cullen Bryant

: William Cullen Bryant was a prominent American poet, journalist, and editor of the New York Evening Post during the 19th century. He is known for his romantic poetry that often celebrated nature and American landscapes.

4.9 The Development of an American Culture

6 min readjanuary 21, 2023

Robby May

Robby May

S

Sally Kim

Jed Quiaoit

Jed Quiaoit

Robby May

Robby May

S

Sally Kim

Jed Quiaoit

Jed Quiaoit

Significant Growth Cultural Development!

During the period between 1800 and 1848, the United States experienced significant growth and change. The nation expanded westward through the and the , and the population grew rapidly as immigrants poured in from Europe. This expansion and growth brought about a new national culture that was a blend of American elements, European influences, and regional cultural sensibilities. 🇺🇸

One of the key American elements that contributed to this new national culture was . The principles of , such as self-government and individual liberty, were deeply ingrained in American culture and became increasingly important during this period.

European influences, such as the Enlightenment ideals of rationality and progress, also played a significant role in shaping the new national culture.

Regional cultural sensibilities also played an important role in the emergence of this new national culture. The different regions of the United States had their own distinct cultures, and these cultures blended together to form a new national culture. For example, the culture of the South was heavily influenced by the legacy of and the , while the culture of the North was shaped by the rise of and .

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-GxuzeA02yTb3.webp?alt=media&token=d1146880-3ce0-443a-8aa0-a484b356b6f1

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

This new national culture was reflected in the literature, art, and architecture of the period.

  • American writers, such as and , began to create a distinct American literary tradition.

  • American painters, such as and , began to create a distinct American school of painting.

  • American architects, such as and , began to create a distinct American architectural style.

In this section, we'll go over notable cultural developments during said period of enormous growth.

Immigration

were motivated to move to America primarily due to the devastating in Ireland that led to widespread poverty and famine. However, upon arriving in America, they faced significant discrimination due to their and had to compete with African Americans for low-paying jobs. Many were forced to take on domestic work and unskilled labor positions due to their limited skills and lack of financial resources. Despite these challenges, many became involved in local politics and joined the . 🇮🇪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-Vb4TY6QQD9zF.jpg?alt=media&token=e2c02376-4b57-4116-9c43-96a79ed3acc6

Source: IrishCentral

Germans also immigrated to America in large numbers due to economic hardships and failed democratic revolutions in their home country. These immigrants tended to have more skills and resources than the Irish, and many of them moved westward to build farms. However, they had limited political influence and often found themselves at odds with the nativist, anti-immigrant sentiment that was prevalent in the country. Despite this, many were strong supporters of and opposed . 🇩🇪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-Th6ZlS8lK1AN.jpg?alt=media&token=d42c4f1f-7e3f-463b-a49a-42b231208b32

Source: German Letters

The influx of immigrants in the mid-19th century led to widespread fear and mistrust among native-born Americans. Many believed that immigrants would take their jobs and change their culture, and as a result, many people who were against immigration tended to vote for the . , who reacted most strongly to the presence of foreigners, were typically Protestants who distrusted the Roman Catholicism practiced by the Irish and many of the Germans.

The opposition to immigrants led to sporadic rioting and the formation of a secret, anti-foreign society known as the in the 1840s.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-sIfpmxd8WuXU.jpg?alt=media&token=2e02cba4-a1f6-4e50-9bdb-45a780ecf8cc

Source: Immigrant Archives

Art and Literature

Liberal ideas from Europe, such as , individual rights, and equality, were brought to America by immigrants and by American travelers who visited Europe. These ideas were embraced by American writers, thinkers, and artists, who began to incorporate them into their work. American literature, for example, began to reflect the values of and individual liberty, as seen in the works of and . 🗽

was another influential movement that emerged in this period. emphasized emotion, imagination, and the beauty of nature. This movement also believed in the perfectibility of humanity, and that individuals could reach a higher level of understanding and morality through the power of imagination and emotion. This idea was reflected in the works of American poets such as and , and painters such as and .

The , the first American school of art, emphasized the power and beauty of nature. It often showed the fear of westward expansion destroying nature.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-O0kn3mcrNhVS.webp?alt=media&token=49209f6c-1046-4276-bb0b-0e6d78e6b724

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

Transcendentalism

was a form of American philosophy that emerged in the early 19th century, emphasizing the importance of intuition and spiritual connection to the divine. This philosophy rejected traditional Puritan beliefs and the rationalism of the Unitarian Church, instead promoting individualism and self-sufficiency.

One of the key figures in the development of was . He wrote extensively on the philosophy and its principles, including the influential essay "," which championed the idea that individuals should trust their own intuition and inner guidance rather than relying on external authority.

Emerson's friend, , was also a prominent transcendentalist and wrote a book called , which detailed his experiences living in a cabin in the woods and his beliefs in simplicity and self-sufficiency. Thoreau was also a proponent of , the idea that individuals have a moral duty to disobey unjust laws.

He famously served time in jail for refusing to pay taxes in protest of the and . Together, Emerson and Thoreau were instrumental in shaping the transcendentalist movement and the ideas it espoused. 🚓

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-lLgHQhfjxnSK.jpg?alt=media&token=8e6390ac-81a4-4f6c-977c-d330e4ae9f4b

Source: HowStuffWorks History

Communal Experiments

The idea of creating an ideal community or utopia by withdrawing from conventional society and starting anew in a different setting was not a new concept in the antebellum period. However, during this time, there were a significant number of experiments in communal living, with many different groups attempting to establish their own utopian communities.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Shakers_Dancing.jpg

Source: Wikimedia

One of the earliest religious communal movements was the . Founded by in the late 18th century, the group had grown to include about 6,000 members in various communities by the 1840s. believed that she was the feminine incarnation of Christ and advocated for a new theology based on sexual equality. 🤝

The group was named for their ritual dance and was known for its communal ownership, strict celibacy, and minimal contact with the outside world. They believed that was imminent, which contributed to their isolation from society. The held property in common and kept men and women strictly separate, forbidding marriage and sexual relations. However, the movement eventually died out by the mid-1900s due to a lack of new recruits.

🎥 Watch: AP US History - Abolitionism and Other Reforms

Key Terms to Review (36)

Asher Durand

: Asher Durand was an American painter of the Hudson River School. He was known for his detailed portrayals of nature scenes that captured both their physical details and emotional resonance.

Christ's Second Coming

: In Christian theology, Christ's Second Coming, also known as the Parousia, refers to the future return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to Earth. This event is prophesied in the New Testament and is anticipated by Christians as a time of final judgment and the establishment of God's kingdom.

Civil Disobedience

: Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government.

Democracy

: Democracy is a form of government where power rests with the people, who either rule directly or through elected representatives.

Democratic Party

: The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States. Founded around 1828, it supports a range of social equality issues including affordable healthcare, education reform, labor rights and climate change action.

Enlightenment Ideals

: Enlightenment ideals refer to the philosophical ideas that emerged during the 18th century European Enlightenment period. These include principles such as reason, liberty, progress, tolerance, and separation of church and state.

German Immigrants

: German immigrants are people who moved from Germany to America, especially during the 19th century due to economic hardships and political unrest in Germany.

Henry David Thoreau

: Henry David Thoreau was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher in the 19th century. He is best known for his book "Walden," a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience," an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most popular American poets in the 19th century known for his lyric poems that often presented stories from mythology and legend.

Hudson River School

: An American art movement in the mid-19th century characterized by landscapes that romanticize nature, particularly scenes along the Hudson River Valley and surrounding areas including the Catskill, Adirondack, and White Mountains.

Industry

: Industry refers to the production of goods or related services within an economy. It involves a range of business activities, such as manufacturing, mining, construction, and utilities.

Irish Immigrants

: Irish immigrants are people who moved from Ireland to America, especially during mid-19th century due to potato famine in Ireland.

James Fenimore Cooper

: James Fenimore Cooper was an early American writer whose historical novels depict frontier life; he's best known for his five "Leatherstocking Tales," including "The Last of the Mohicans."

Louisiana Purchase

: The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France in 1803, where the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million.

Mexican-American War

: The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was a conflict between Mexico and America that followed America's annexation of Texas, which Mexico still considered its territory despite an independent Texan Republic existing since 1836.

Mother Ann Lee

: Mother Ann Lee was the leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, also known as the Shakers.

Nativists

: Nativists were individuals or groups in the United States who favored the interests of native-born people over those of immigrants. They often expressed anti-immigrant sentiments and supported policies that restricted immigration.

Plantation System

: The plantation system was an agricultural practice in which large farms (plantations) relied on the forced labor of enslaved people to grow cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar.

Potato Crop Failures

: This term refers to the catastrophic event in the mid-19th century, particularly in Ireland, where potato crops were destroyed by a disease known as late blight. This led to widespread famine and mass emigration.

Public education

: Public education refers to schooling that is provided and funded by government entities with appointed educators. It's available to all children regardless of their socio-economic status.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

: Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist who led the transcendentalist movement in the mid-19th century.

Robert Mills

: Robert Mills was an American architect who designed many important structures in the early 19th century, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Treasury Building.

Roman Catholic Religion

: One of the oldest branches of Christianity with its own unique set of doctrines and practices including belief in seven sacraments, veneration of saints, and recognition of the Pope as its spiritual leader.

Romanticism

: Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature.

Self-Reliance

: "Self-Reliance" is an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson that contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes, the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow their own instincts and ideas.

Shakers

: The Shakers, officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearance, were a religious sect that emerged during the 18th century. They believed in communal living, pacifism, and celibacy.

Slavery

: Slavery is a system in which individuals, known as slaves, are treated as property and forced to work without consent or pay. In the context of US history, it refers primarily to the African slave trade from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner

: The Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner was a secret society founded in 1850. It was anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant, reflecting nativist fears and prejudices of the time.

Thomas Cole

: Thomas Cole was an English-born American painter known for his landscape and history paintings. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School—an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century.

Thomas Ustick Walter

: Thomas Ustick Walter was an American architect during the 19th century known for designing parts of the United States Capitol building, including its iconic dome.

Transcendentalism

: Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the eastern United States. It advocated for intuition over empirical observation, believing that individuals could transcend sensory experience for deeper spiritual insight.

Urbanization

: Urbanization refers to the process where an increasing percentage of a country's population comes to live in towns and cities rather than rural areas.

Walden: Or Life in the Woods

: "Walden" is a book written by Henry David Thoreau about his experiment living simply and self-sufficiently near Walden Pond in Massachusetts.

Washington Irving

: Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer, and historian of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," both of which appear in his book 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.'

Whig Party

: The Whig Party was a political party active in the middle of the 19th century in the United States. It was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party.

William Cullen Bryant

: William Cullen Bryant was a prominent American poet, journalist, and editor of the New York Evening Post during the 19th century. He is known for his romantic poetry that often celebrated nature and American landscapes.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.