Transcendental Poetry

   At one point or another, we have all heard a line or stanza written by one of the great writers of the Antebellum period such as Whitman, Emerson or Thorough. Their work was ground breaking in the relatively new nation of America. Their work helped set the foundation for future thinkers. The poetry they wrote and ideas they shared were that of personal freedom and individual expression.     Transcendental poetry was an embodiment of American culture leaving the rigid ideas of the European Enlightenment and the free individualistic expression of the American Renaissance.
    America was quickly entering a time that would be marked with unheard of reforms, experimental theories, huge changes in general consensus and  a general feeling that everything was getting better. No longer were great works of literature confined to legal documents and heated sermons. Sonnets of praising nature and free will became the new gospels. The art form itself allowed for the truest from of expression that had been seen in that area of the world. Works such as Self-Reliance and Friendship encouraged its readers to transcend organized religion and to look to themselves to find a relationship with God. Tales exclaiming the great deeds done by great people became common place when before, if God or the law were not the topic, it was not written. The fundamental goal of these poets was to encourage people to search within themselves and see that they are important and can accomplish great deeds and think for themselves, some of which are ideas that this nation prides itself on. The people of this nation learned of the positive side of self-pride but also the gratitude for a neighbor and that is what should be taken away when one thinks of Transcendental poetry.

To us americans, the War of 1812 was like a second revolution. It is obvious that we won, or at least tied, because we're still here and not being ruled by the british. To the english however, the war was something very different. It was a mere after thought. it meant nothing to the proud british who were in the middle of the fighting the most powerful army in history. Napolean was in the middle of conquering all of Europe at the time so anything that was going on on our continent was a sideshow. When british sailors started defecting to US ships they naturally tried to get them back. Around 50 percent of all merchant ship sailors were british defects so it only seemed natural for Britiain to react the way they did. The British had to use the majority of their resources and manpower to defeat the French. The only standing army that they had in America was in Canada. The Americans unsuccesfuly invaded Canada and by the time the invasion plan was finished, the British had ended the war with Napoleon. This allowed the British to move thousands of battle tested soldiers to America and deal with us once and for all.
Most of the British people looked at this war and saw a betrayal by the American people and became outright enraged. They had been our mother country for hundreds of years and were a chief trade partner. The fact that Americans were boycotting the impressment of sailors was looked at with scorn.