American Transcendentalism emerged in the early 1800s. The philosophy promoted self-reliance and the appreciation of nature, as well as emotional, intuitive spiritual experience over logic and religious tradition. Transcendentalists believed that individuals could have direct experiences with God without intermediaries, that humans are essentially good, and that modern materialism and conformity mislead people, distracting them from what is truly important.

The Transcendental Club convened in 1836 when Ralph Waldo Emerson and three ministers—all Harvard alumni—met to discuss the increasingly conservative and rationalist Unitarian Church. Four years before, Emerson gave up his position as a Unitarian minister; The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail mentions this event. Emerson chose to do this because he felt “increasingly at odds with the church and its philosophy” (Walsh, Colleen. “When Religion Turned Inward.” The Harvard Gazette, 16 Feb. 2012). Around the same time that the Transcendental Club began meeting, Emerson published Nature, outlining Transcendentalism’s main ideas. He traveled frequently between Europe and America, lecturing and conversing with other thought leaders. He believed the world was comprised of soul and nature and that “People […] have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that ‘transcends’ or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel” (“

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now