Topic 4.9: The Development of American Culture (1800–1848)

What time period saw the emergence of a distinctly American culture?

Between 1800 and 1848, as Americans sought to define their national identity after independence and amid rapid social and political change.

What forces influenced the development of American culture during this era?

Democratic ideals, westward expansion, market growth, and religious revivalism all shaped a new national identity.

What cultural theme dominated the early 19th century?

A search for uniquely American expressions in art, literature, and philosophy that reflected democracy and individualism.

What philosophical and literary movement flourished in New England during this period?

Transcendentalism.

What was Transcendentalism?

An intellectual and spiritual movement that emphasized individual conscience, intuition, and the inherent goodness of people and nature.

Who were the two leading Transcendentalist thinkers?

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

What idea did Ralph Waldo Emerson promote in his writings and lectures?

Self-reliance—encouraging individuals to trust their inner moral compass rather than conform to social expectations.

What was Henry David Thoreau’s most famous work, and what did it advocate?

Walden (1854), in which Thoreau described simple living in nature as a path to spiritual and moral clarity.

What political philosophy did Thoreau develop in his essay Civil Disobedience?

That individuals have a moral duty to resist unjust laws and government actions—an idea that influenced later reformers like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

What did Transcendentalism reflect about American society?

A rejection of materialism and conformity, and a belief that individuals could find truth and morality through personal reflection and communion with nature.

What broader cultural ideal did Transcendentalism reinforce?

The American ideal of individualism—the belief that people are self-reliant and capable of shaping their own destiny.

What artistic movement paralleled Transcendentalist ideas?

The Hudson River School of art.

What did the Hudson River School focus on?

Landscape paintings that celebrated the natural beauty of the American wilderness, portraying nature as a reflection of divine power and national pride.

Who were notable artists of the Hudson River School?

Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand.

How did the Hudson River School express nationalism?

By depicting the American landscape as grand, untouched, and symbolic of the nation’s unique character and promise.

What was the “Second Great Awakening”?

A massive religious revival movement of the early 19th century that emphasized emotional preaching, personal salvation, and social reform.

When did the Second Great Awakening occur?

Roughly between the 1790s and the 1830s, peaking around the 1820s.

Who were major preachers of the Second Great Awakening?

Charles Grandison Finney and other revivalist ministers who held large “camp meetings” to inspire conversions.

What regions experienced the most intense revival activity?

The “Burned-Over District” of western New York and the western frontier.

What did the Second Great Awakening emphasize about human nature?

That people could achieve salvation through faith and good works—rejecting the Calvinist idea of predestination.

How did the Second Great Awakening influence American society?

It democratized religion, inspired moral and social reform movements, and reinforced the idea of human perfectibility.

What social movements emerged from the Second Great Awakening?

The temperance movement, abolitionism, women’s rights activism, and efforts for moral reform.

How did revivalism affect women’s roles?

It gave women a greater role in church and reform activities, empowering them to organize and advocate for social change.

What new religious groups emerged during this era?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and various utopian and millenarian sects.

Who founded the Mormon faith?

Joseph Smith in 1830.

What did the Mormons believe?

They emphasized community, hard work, moral discipline, and a restoration of the original Christian church through new revelation.

Why did the Mormons face persecution?

Their unorthodox beliefs, communal practices, and polygamy provoked hostility from neighbors.

Who led the Mormons westward after Joseph Smith’s death?

Brigham Young, who guided them to Utah in search of religious freedom.

What broader pattern did the Mormon migration reflect?

The westward movement of Americans seeking freedom, opportunity, and a better life.

What was the “American Renaissance” in literature?

A period in the mid-19th century when American authors produced works that reflected national themes, democracy, and individual experience.

Who were major writers of the American Renaissance?

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, and Edgar Allan Poe.

What themes did Hawthorne and Melville explore in their works?

The darker aspects of human nature, sin, and moral conflict, often critiquing perfectionist ideals.

What did Walt Whitman’s poetry celebrate?

Democracy, the individual, and the unity of the American people, as expressed in his collection Leaves of Grass.

How did Edgar Allan Poe differ from other American writers of his time?

He explored themes of psychological depth, death, and the supernatural rather than moral or democratic ideals.

How did new cultural movements express nationalism?

They emphasized uniquely American values—individualism, democracy, nature, and moral improvement—as distinct from European traditions.

What overall trend defined American culture during this period?

The blending of romanticism, reform, and nationalism to create a confident and distinctly American identity.

How did the arts, religion, and literature together shape national identity?

They celebrated self-reliance, moral reform, and the belief that America had a divine mission to improve humanity through freedom and virtue.