U.S. Cultural Movements of Early 1800s. Neoclassical architecture A revival of Greek and Roman styles (“neo” means “new” in Greek) A revival of Greek.

U.S. Cultural U.S. Cultural Movements Movements

of Early of Early 1800s1800s

Neoclassical Neoclassical architecturearchitecture

A revival of Greek and A revival of Greek and Roman styles (“neo” Roman styles (“neo” means “new” in Greek)means “new” in Greek)

The U.S. had modeled The U.S. had modeled itself after the Roman itself after the Roman Republic and the Republic and the democratic ideals of democratic ideals of ancient Greece, so it ancient Greece, so it copied their copied their architectural styles as architectural styles as well for its well for its governmental buildingsgovernmental buildings

Sometimes also called Sometimes also called the “Federal” stylethe “Federal” style

The White The White HouseHouse The Executive Mansion was The Executive Mansion was

originally built 1792 – 1800originally built 1792 – 1800 Burned by the British during Burned by the British during

the War of 1812, but had the War of 1812, but had been restored by 1817 (and been restored by 1817 (and painted white to hide the fire painted white to hide the fire damage to the exterior, hence damage to the exterior, hence the name White House)the name White House)

Added onto in 1824, 1829, Added onto in 1824, 1829, 1901, 1927, and 19461901, 1927, and 1946

In 1950s, the entire structure In 1950s, the entire structure was gutted and rebuilt with a was gutted and rebuilt with a steel frame from the it was steel frame from the it was found to be collapsingfound to be collapsing

U.S. CapitolU.S. Capitol Built 1793 – 1811Built 1793 – 1811 Also burned during Also burned during

the War of 1812, the War of 1812, but had been but had been restored by 1819restored by 1819

Expanded between Expanded between 1826 and 1863; 1826 and 1863; small dome was small dome was added but was soon added but was soon replaced by the replaced by the larger dome seen larger dome seen todaytoday

MonticelloMonticello Built 1768 – 1809Built 1768 – 1809 Charlottesville, VACharlottesville, VA Home of Thomas Home of Thomas

Jefferson – he Jefferson – he designed it himselfdesigned it himself

Today, it is the only Today, it is the only private home private home designated as a designated as a World Heritage Site World Heritage Site by the United by the United NationsNations

Alexis de Alexis de TocquevilleTocqueville

1805 – 18591805 – 1859 French author of French author of

Democracy in America Democracy in America (1835 – 1840)(1835 – 1840)

Toured the U.S. for 2 years Toured the U.S. for 2 years observing how democracy observing how democracy was creating a uniquely was creating a uniquely “American” culture“American” culture

Determined America was a Determined America was a society where hard work society where hard work and making money was and making money was what drove people, where what drove people, where commoners never deferred commoners never deferred to their “betters”, and to their “betters”, and where individualism was where individualism was admired admired

Noah Webster 1758 – 18431758 – 1843 Published his first Published his first

English-language English-language dictionary in 1806dictionary in 1806

In 1826, published his In 1826, published his “American” dictionary “American” dictionary where he used new where he used new American spellings of American spellings of English words and English words and included thousands of included thousands of distinctly American distinctly American wordswords

RomanticismRomanticism Early 19Early 19thth century century

artistic and literary artistic and literary movement that movement that promoted emotions promoted emotions over logic and reason, over logic and reason, inner spirituality over inner spirituality over secular rules, the secular rules, the individual over individual over society, and the society, and the natural world over natural world over man-made man-made environmentsenvironments

The Hudson River School

Group of American Group of American artists who focused on artists who focused on painting distinctly painting distinctly American landscapes – American landscapes – canyons, rivers, scenes canyons, rivers, scenes of the wild, untamed of the wild, untamed frontiers (at first along frontiers (at first along the Hudson River, but the Hudson River, but later in the Rockies)later in the Rockies)

Style remained popular Style remained popular throughout the 1800sthroughout the 1800s

Washington IrvingWashington Irving 1783 – 18591783 – 1859 Author of Author of The Legend The Legend

of Sleepy Hollowof Sleepy Hollow, , Rip Rip van Winklevan Winkle

Also a historian and Also a historian and biographerbiographer

Perfected the short Perfected the short story as a true story as a true literary art form; first literary art form; first major “American” major “American” authorauthor

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe 1809 – 18491809 – 1849 ““Master of the Macabre”Master of the Macabre” Wrote many poems and Wrote many poems and

short-stories, mostly in the short-stories, mostly in the horror genre: horror genre: The Raven, The Raven, The Black Cat, The Cask of The Black Cat, The Cask of Amontillado, The Fall of the Amontillado, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Murders the Pendulum, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Tell-in the Rue Morgue, The Tell-Tale HeartTale Heart

Married his 13 year-old Married his 13 year-old cousin (he was 26) but she cousin (he was 26) but she died at 25died at 25

Died at age 40 under Died at age 40 under mysterious circumstancesmysterious circumstances

James Fenimore CooperJames Fenimore Cooper 1789 – 18511789 – 1851 Author of Author of The Last The Last

of the Mohicans of the Mohicans (1826)

Wrote mostly about Wrote mostly about life on the American life on the American frontier and the frontier and the conflict between conflict between white settlers and white settlers and Native AmericansNative Americans

Nathaniel Nathaniel HawthorneHawthorne

1804 – 18641804 – 1864 Author of Author of The The

Scarlet Letter Scarlet Letter (1850) and The House of Seven Gables (1851)

Wrote largely on Wrote largely on man’s tendency to man’s tendency to sin, resulting in his sin, resulting in his work being labeled work being labeled “dark romanticism”“dark romanticism”

Herman MelvilleHerman Melville 1819 – 18911819 – 1891 Author of Author of Moby Dick Moby Dick (1851) Melville’s works were Melville’s works were

mainly adventure novels, mainly adventure novels, often set on whaling shipsoften set on whaling ships

While Melville did write While Melville did write several commercially several commercially successful novels during successful novels during his lifetime, his most his lifetime, his most famous work today (famous work today (Moby Moby DickDick) was neither a ) was neither a commercial nor critical hit commercial nor critical hit at the time it was writtenat the time it was written

Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman 1819 – 18921819 – 1892 Free Verse PoetFree Verse Poet Best known for his Best known for his

work work Leaves of GrassLeaves of Grass Works described as Works described as

obscene in his own obscene in his own time because of their time because of their sexual frankness and sexual frankness and homosexual themeshomosexual themes

Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson 1830 – 18861830 – 1886 American poetAmerican poet Wrote thousands of Wrote thousands of

poemspoems Obsessed with deathObsessed with death Broke rules of poetry Broke rules of poetry

concerning structure, concerning structure, rhyme, and capitalizationrhyme, and capitalization

Famous recluse – did not Famous recluse – did not leave her home for the leave her home for the last 30 years of her lifelast 30 years of her life

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism Literary and Literary and

philosophical movementphilosophical movement Emphasized Emphasized

individualism and self-individualism and self-reliance over religionreliance over religion

People need to People need to “transcend” (overcome) “transcend” (overcome) the limits of their mind the limits of their mind to embrace beauty and to embrace beauty and truthtruth

Hated conformity and Hated conformity and “followers”“followers”

Ralph Waldo Ralph Waldo EmersonEmerson

1803 – 18821803 – 1882 Philosopher, Philosopher,

lecturer, essayist, lecturer, essayist, and poetand poet

Believed that all Believed that all things were divine things were divine because all things because all things were connected to were connected to GodGod

Strong belief in Strong belief in individualismindividualism

Henry David Henry David ThoreauThoreau

1817 – 18621817 – 1862 Author of Author of WaldenWalden and and

Civil DisobedienceCivil Disobedience Early Early

environmentalistenvironmentalist AbolitionistAbolitionist ““That government is That government is

best which governs best which governs not at all”not at all”

Opposed taxesOpposed taxes

Margaret FullerMargaret Fuller 1810 – 18501810 – 1850 Author Author Woman in the Woman in the

Nineteenth Century Nineteenth Century – – first major feminist first major feminist work published in USwork published in US

Believed in women’s Believed in women’s rights to education rights to education and employment; and employment; wanted prison reform wanted prison reform and an end to slaveryand an end to slavery

Died in a shipwreckDied in a shipwreck

““Penny” PressPenny” Press Mass produced Mass produced

daily newspapers daily newspapers which became which became affordable for affordable for common peoplecommon people

Focused on reports Focused on reports of fires, crime of fires, crime reports, marriages, reports, marriages, gossip, politics, gossip, politics, local newslocal news

Godey’s Lady’s WeeklyGodey’s Lady’s Weekly 1830 – 18981830 – 1898 Covered poetry, Covered poetry,

literature, and art literature, and art primarily from women primarily from women artistsartists

Included dress Included dress patterns, sheet musicpatterns, sheet music

First magazine to First magazine to copyright its material copyright its material to prevent other to prevent other publications from publications from using itusing it

Atlantic MonthlyAtlantic Monthly 1857 – Today1857 – Today Focused on literary Focused on literary

and cultural trendsand cultural trends Founded and run by Founded and run by

famous writers of the famous writers of the time: Stowe, Emerson, time: Stowe, Emerson, Longfellow, etc.Longfellow, etc.

Has published Has published everyone from Mark everyone from Mark Twain to Martin Luther Twain to Martin Luther KingKing

Harper’s WeeklyHarper’s Weekly 1857 – 19161857 – 1916 Featured foreign Featured foreign

and domestic news, and domestic news, fiction, essays on fiction, essays on many subjects, and many subjects, and humorhumor

Became famous for Became famous for its political cartoons its political cartoons by Thomas Nastby Thomas Nast