Reform Movements: Ralph Waldo Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

"Nonconformity: a noun, failure or refusal to conform to a prevailing rule or practice" (Nonconformity, 2017). Nonconformity is major theme in Transcendentalism along with nature, carpe diem, and simplicity of life. Transcendentalists, such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, view nonconformity as essential to life and a concept that everyone should strive to achieve. Both Emerson and Thoreau use the theme of nonconformity throughout their stories to provide reasoning for why it is best for one to live life based solely on individualism.

The Second Great Awakening laid the foundations of the development of present-day religious beliefs and establishments, moral views, and democratic ideals in the United States. Beginning back in late eighteenth century and lasting until the middle of the nineteenth century,1 this Protestant awakening sought to reach out the un-churched and bring people to a much more personal and vivid experience of Christianity. Starting on the Southern frontier and soon spreading to the Northeast, the Second Great Awakening has also been associated as a response against the growing liberalism in religion - skepticism, deism, and rational Christianity.2 Although the movement is well-known to be

The Second Great Awakening refers to a period of religious revivals that occurred in the United States in the 1830s. After this, many more Americans became Christians. The Second Great Awakening made Americans want to reform the United States. Reformers began gathering many social and political changes. There was a push to prohibit alcoholic beverages, to increase public education, to support rights for women, and to outlaw war. One of the movements to arise out of the Reform movements was the Abolition Movement which called for immediate end for slavery. Therefore, the Second Great Awakening and the reform movements that it inspired helped

The Great Awakening brought together provinces, and furthermore acknowledgment of religious resilience. These two periods of the eighteenth century greatly affected American culture and how individuals think previously, then after these movemments. The Enlightenment changed individuals' view on legislative issues, religion, and human instinct, and The Great Awakening acknowledged religious resilience. Enlightenment for the most part affected instructed individuals in the American states. Even though the Enlightenment initially started in Europe, it spread to America. The Great Awakening brought assorted variety; it was caused by reestablishment of religion after many individuals in the provinces moved in the opposite direction of religion. The Great Awakening conveyed Christianity to individuals who strayed away from

A product of the religious revival in Western Europe from late 17th century to early 18th century, the First Great Awakening was a period of religious growth throughout the British American colonies from approximately 1720 to the 1740s. This awakening was led by many religious figures such as John Wesley - a founder of Methodism in the Church of England, George Whitefield - an Anglican who preached throughout the colonies from 1739 to 1740, and Jonathan Edwards - an Apologist of the Great Awakening who led the revival in Northampton, Massachusetts. Although this period of religious high is referred to as “The First Great Awakening,” historians still debate whether or not this grandiose title is deserved.

The Second Great Awakening revolved around the new concept of national reform through religious and moral changes. These changes and transitions occurred for the benefit of the country, by withdrawing the negative aspects of society such as alcohol overuse, low quality education and prisons, and most notably slavery. Religious leaders encouraged salvation and worshipping the Christian God to be best solution for successfully reforming and improving the nation’s predicaments. Religious ideas had a remarkable role constructing reform movements in the first half of the nineteenth century in behalf of religion offering the most moral and logical path towards a better society. People of the United States were in necessity of reforms, applying the religious ideas opened up new resolutions for all classes, races, and groups of people.

The First Great Awakening was a religious movement that took place between 1720 and 1750, affecting every colony and greatly affecting history (Garrigus). People started feeling that religion was dull and not as significant as it once was seen (Ppt). Preachers began to feel like people were not putting their emotions on their faith. They wanted people to be physically and emotionally involved (Garrigus). This is where Christians began to turn away from the standard approach of worship. The Great Awakening created a substantial change on how early American’s viewed worship, social standards, political standards, economical standards, and Christianity.

The First Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept across Colonial America in the 18th century. The First Great Awakening changed the colonists attitudes toward religion and helped pave the way for the American Revolution. It impacted the way colonists worshipped and gave them a sense of independence. This paper will look at the cause and effect of the First Great Awakening.

The second great awakening was the emergence of new religious branches. There were three main branches that influences the Unites States as it grew and was still trying to rid of the English ways. these three branches were named Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian. All three of these branches grew quickly in popularity. The most popular however was the Presbyterian church. All of these shares the same core belief but held different values and reasons for existence. The presbyterian church is part of what I feel helped push the western expiation to continue further. This is due to the one message they wanted to convey to others, " Salvation is available not just to a select few, as the Calvinist Puritans have claimed, but to anyone who repents and embraces Christ". Other religious view were adopted in this time that caused the population to see the world in a new light and gain more spiritual growth.

The Great Awakenings were periods of religious revival, increasing religious enthusiasm during the early 18th century and the late 20th century. Some may say that the Great Awakenings also caused enlightenment. However, there was a tremendous increase in religious participation, and influence in other reforms as well. Therefore, the Great Awakenings tremendously influenced the development of american society prior to the American Civil War.

A Comparison of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Beliefs concerning Simplicity, the Value and Potential of Our Soul, and Our Imagination.Henry David Thoreau tests Ralph Waldo Emerson’s ideas about nature by living at Walden Pond, where he discovers that simplicity in physical aspects brings deepness to our mind, our soul to its fullest potential, and our imagination to be uplifted to change our lives. These two men believe that nature is what forces us not to depend on others’ ideas but to develop our own. Nature is ever changing so we must keep searching for explanations about human life. They feel that nature is the key to knowing all.Thoreau lives at Walden Pond to find the true meaning of life. He wants to experience

of religon. More people came to church for the worship of god from their heart.

The First Great Awakening, was a religious revitalization movement that came through the Atlantic region, and even more so in the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, forever impacting American religion & is widely known as the most important event for American religion during the eighteenth century. The First Great Awakening was inspired by an English Methodist known as George Whitefield along with other ministers, when many people in the rural areas rejected the Enlighted and rational religion that came from the Cosmopolitan pulpits and port cities. George Whitefield began this movement with speaking tours through the colonies (“The Great Awakening”).

In the early mid-nineteenth century, a philosophical movement known as transcendentalism took root and flourished in America. It evolved into a predominantly literary expression which placed an emphasis on the corruptions of organized religion, political parties, and societal involvement; above all, the movement promoted the wonders of “nature” and its deep connection to the divine. The adherents through transcendentalism believed that knowledge could be arrived through intuition and contemplation of the internal spirit rather than by the means of the senses. As the two most prominent figures in the transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau whole-heartedly embrace the principles of nature

“The philosopher is the lover of knowledge; yet knowledge is never complete.”(Brook) Knowledge is different for each individual. It may be the knowledge of the self, which is most important or knowledge of business and or politics. Ultimately, knowledge leads to some sort of gain, be it tangible or spiritual. Yet, there is never a true fulfillment, for a time there will be peace, but this phases will only last for a short while. In the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, impactful members of the Transcendental movement, are ideas, which may help an individual gain knowledge. The Transcendental movement acknowledged the importance of an individual and viewed nature as the ultimate source of knowledge. Ideas like these were seen as controversial and often challenged society. Nature, and Self-Reliance, written by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, discuss Transcendental ideas of the human connection with nature, the importance of individualism and the true purpose of government which have become revolutionary ideas.