The American Renaissance began in the United States during the late 1820’s; this movement broadened Americans’ literary and artistic horizons. The Transportation Revolution was one of the main causes of the American Renaissance; it increased the consumer demand for books, and by 1850 nearly seventy-five percent of books in the United States were written by American authors. During this time the Romantic era was taking place in Europe; this also contributed to the rise of the American Renaissance. Americans began to try and convey their nationalism through writing and art, as well as capture the uniqueness of the United States (Stewart 11). There were many significant authors that published works during the antebellum period. James …show more content…
One of the most renowned groups of artists were the Hudson River School. This group was composed of over fifty artists, two of the most well-known were Thomas Cole and George Caitlin. Thomas Cole painted grand natural landscapes and would paint mankind as miniature in comparison. George Catlin also painted a dying culture, however instead of nature his subjects were the Native Americans. He worked to preserve their culture, customs, and normal day lives in his art (Stewart 13-14). The Rocky Mountain School was a branch of the Hudson River School that focused on the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran were two of the artists who were part of the Rocky Mountain School. (“The Hudson River and Rocky Mountain Schools.”) Landscaping was another form of art that antebellum Americans expressed their nationalism through. By the 1830’s parks were beginning to be built in cities as temporary escapes from the busy city life. Also “rural” cemeteries were being constructed as tourist attractions. Mount Auburn Cemetery is an example of one of these landscaped cemeteries. While being a place to bury the dead, these cemeteries were also beautiful places to walk and enjoy nature. Antebellum Americans were experiencing newfound nationalism and worked to express the spirit of the United States through their art and literary