In the history of American literature transcendentalism is a philosophical movement. The movement started in eastern United States in the late 1820s and 1830s. It emphasized on the subjective intuition rather than on objective empiricism. The movement is closely related to Unitarianism. American writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, and David Thoreau were the founding members of the movement . The movement is centered around the believe that spirituality can be achieved through self reflection and intuition.
