What Was The Role Of Transcendentalism In The 1800's

In the 1800’s, there were many problems with American society. Many people noticed these issues and began to put together reforms and solutions to these problems. Woman had a large contribution in solving these problems. The solution to the problems are an abolition of slavery, education reform, prison reform, and temperance. One other issue is the problems with women’s rights but at this time only attention was brought to it instead of an actual solution. The transcendentalist movement also had a large effect on people during this time.
Transcendentalism is the American literary, philosophical, and political movement of the early nineteenth century. This movement had a large focus on the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was considered

the leader of this group. He taught that all humans were born “good.” He believed that the only way people became corrupt was by institutions that were greedy or careless. One of his famous quotes are “It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” He had a large influence on American society at this time. Other important transcendentalists included Theodore Parker, Margaret Fuller, Frederic Henry Hedge, Henry David Thoreau, and Amos Bronson Alcott.
The temperance movement was people that were inspired by the transcendentalist ideal’s attempt of making people better. Alcohol was limited and banned everywhere in America. Alcohol was blamed for all of the evils committed throughout society. It was banned with the hope that poverty, vagrancy, crime, suicide, and child abuse would come to a halt. This movement was opposed by many Catholic immigrants from Ireland and Germany which linked temperance to nativism and anti-immigrant opinions. The temperance movement was put into effect by the ratification of the 18th Amendment in the Constitution. It was labeled as the “Prohibition” and repealed during the Great Depression.
In the 1820-1830’s, there was a small amount of schools. Children were only educated by their parents, a tutor, or a boarding school. By late 1830’s more Americans were pushing for a growth in education for young white males. An important figure in the education reform was Horace Mann. He controlled the Massuchusettes Board of Education and pushed for non-religious, free, equal schooling. He also believed that teachers should be well-trained and well-paid. Thanks to this movement, most of American states had free elementary schools.