1. Reaction to the Enlightenment: Romanticism emerged as a reaction to the Enlightenment, which had emphasized reason, logic, and scientific inquiry. Romantics believed that the human experience could not be fully understood through reason alone and that emotions, imagination, and intuition were important sources of knowledge and creativity.
2. Influence of the American Revolution: The American Revolution (1775-1783) had a profound impact on American culture and identity. The war was fought in the name of individual liberty, self-determination, and the right to pursue happiness, which became central themes of American romanticism.
3. Westward Expansion: The early 19th century saw a rapid expansion of the American frontier, as settlers moved westward in search of new opportunities and land. This westward movement inspired a sense of national pride and a celebration of the natural beauty and grandeur of the American wilderness.
4. European Influence: American romanticism was also influenced by European romanticism, which had its roots in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. American writers, artists, and intellectuals were inspired by European romantic poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, as well as by German philosophers such as Johann Gottfried Herder and Friedrich Schelling.
5. Literary Figures: Some of the most prominent figures of American romanticism include poets such as William Cullen Bryant, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Greenleaf Whittier, and Edgar Allan Poe; essayists and critics such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Orestes Brownson; and writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Washington Irving.
These are just a few of the key factors that contributed to the rise of American romanticism in the 19th century. Romanticism was a dynamic and diverse movement that had a profound impact on American literature, art, and culture.