1. Transcendentalism and Ralph Emerson
Aubrie Wells
Period 6 APUSH

2. The Philosophy
Individual theory, based on the difference between reason and understanding.
Reason- ability to “grasp” beauty and truth by acknowledging the importance of instinct and emotion.
Understanding- rationalize and think in “artificial ways” that society imposes by repressing instinct.
No Organized Religion Spirituality

3. The Goal To nourish reason and completely remove understanding.
Emotion and Soul would transcend.

4. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882 Politician Minister Lecturer Author
Transcendentalist Founding Father

5. Mid-Life and Travels Wife (Ellen Louisa Tucker) died in 1831
Left Unitarian clergy in 1832
Devoted time to writing, teaching, traveling Europe 1832
Back in the States by 1833
Lectures on the spiritual experience

6. Concord Moved to Concord, Massachusetts 1834 Began more lectures
Met fellow writers and like-minded people
Remarried to Lydia Jackson in 1835

7. Later Life “Nature” -1836 Two volumes of essays –1841 and 1844
Advocated for abolition of slavery
Continued lecturing through 1860s
“Society & Solitude” -1870
“Parnassus” -1874
Died in Concord home on April 27th, 1882

8. Ralph's Famous Quotes “Earth laughs in flowers.”
“Slavery it is that makes slavery; freedom, freedom. The slavery of women happened when the men were slaves of kings.”
“As long as our civilization is essentially one of property, of fences, of exclusiveness, it will be mocked by delusions. Our riches will leave us sick; there will be bitterness in our laughter; and our wine will burn our mouth. Only that good profits, which we can taste with all doors open, and which serves all men.”

9. The Legacy
His writings are still considered major documents of the 19th century.
American Literature, Philosophy, and Religion

10. Works Cited
“Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 2 Apr. 2014,
“Ch.12 Sign In.” McGraw-Hill Connect, McGraw-Hill, connect.mheducation.com/connect/hmEBook.do?setTab=sectionTabs.
“Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Ralph Waldo Emerson: Literary Criticism, Political Theory and Online Texts,