1. A Growing Nation

2. History of the Times
In 1800 the united states consisted of sixteen states clustered near the east coast
1803 Jefferson doubles the nation’s size with the Louisiana Purchase
Railroads, steamboats, and sailing packets helped speed people and goods across the nation

3. Democracy and Government
American’s took more direct control of government
Andrew Jackson eliminated property requirements for voting rights
Africans remained enslaved
The Trail of Tears occurred in 1838

4. The West and Economic Growth
1825 Erie Canal is completed
1850’s the railroad began to dominate American long distance travel
Advances in technology spurred social change: factories, steal plow, telegraph communication, etc

5. Change for a brighter future
During the 1840’s-50’s women’s rights were promoted for voting, law suits, etc
Started creating child labor laws for factories, etc
True abolition of slavery
American’s saw the need for social changes to ensure a brighter future

6. Literature Comes of Age
Before 1800, writers were not widely read in America
The writers of this period, however, would define the American Voice
Primary theme: the quest of the individual to define him or herself

7. Romanticism
Major players: Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allen Poe
Romanticism does not mean “love story” or writings about love
Romanticism was an artistic movement that elevated imagination over reason and intuition over fact

8. Romanticism The Romantic writers reveled in nature
The Romantic writers often highlighted the fantastic aspects of human experience (made them more interesting!)
Romantic writers trade fact for flavor to enhance their stories or to make a point

9. Why all the Romance?
Romanticism is concerned with the individual more than with society.
The individual consciousness and especially the individual imagination are especially fascinating for the Romantics.
“Melancholy” was quite the buzzword for the Romantic poet
There was a downgrading of the power and importance of reason
Romanticism was a reaction to the enlightenment

10. Why all the Romance?
Romanticism loosened the rules of artistic expression
Language became more relaxed and unnatural giving way to blank, unrhymed verse for poetry
One of the most popular themes was country life (pastoral poetry)

11. Anti transcentalism
Romanticism led to a darker side to individualism called the Gothic era
The belief that imagination leads to a focus on the demonic, the fantastic, and the insane
A pessimistic view of mankind; potential for evil in all people
Essential truths about life: Greed, Betrayal, Fear, etc.
Famous writers: Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne