Transcendentalism was an American literary, philosophical, and religious movement in the early- and mid-19th century. Its nucleus was in New England, where many of its most famous contributors (Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller) were born and raised, but its scope of influence grew even to international audiences. Though distinctly American in some ways, the whole body of thought had origins in entities such as English Romanticism and Unitarianism, which helped to establish the breadth and wide application of transcendentalist ideals. Transcendentalist philosophy held that man could transcend the confines of the physical human body and connect to the larger realms of the natural and spiritual world. Such a feat was possible only through embracing individualism and shunning corrupting aspects of modern society.

The reward for reaching beyond the senses and conventional knowledge was reaching an imaginative realm of empowerment that bred new possibilities for each individual and his or her natural talents. As a body of social commentary and philosophy, transcendentalism was progressive and critical of the status quo. Its followers ranged from radical feminist activists to reformers to poets, all bound by the conviction that embracing one’s inner potential could breed better individuals and a better society rooted in imagination and self-sufficiency.