“Defining Transcendentalism is a lot like grasping mercury: both are fluid and hard to pin down” (Myerson xxv). Transcendentalism, defined the most basic terminology, “a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical” (Dictionary). However, who really were the transcendentalist and what did they believe in? This philosophical movement began during the nineteenth century. These thinkers believed in the independence of the individual and nature. Many of them often explored the relationship between man and nature. This movement had the idea that individuals could know truth and oneself through experiences and intuition. The father of transcendentalism was Ralph Waldo Emerson but there were many other members. Transcendentalist were social activists, there were abolitionists, feminists, war protestors and naturalists. Some of these individuals were peaceful but …show more content…
His goal was to steal weapons and ammunition to give to slaves. Brown’s plan failed, due to a lack of an escape plan and the court sentenced him to execution (US History). Thoreau heard about Brown‘s execution and raid; he wrote Plea for Captain John Brown. Within his writing, he discussed the reason why punishment was unnecessary. Thoreau fought against the newspapers and said he was a brave man. Since the government no longer allowed sanction in the north, Thoreau denounced them in his writing. After this, Thoreau became a very radical, nonviolent abolitionist writer (Cliff Notes). Thoreau would have supported Earth First! considering it is a very radical movement. Brown attempted to cause a violent war between the slaves and the south and Earth First! can be aggressive with their actions. Thoreau’s earlier writings were about nature so he would have supported a radical group that is cause was to preserve