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Transcendentalism was a 19th-century philosophical and literary movement primarily centered in New England. It was characterized by an idealistic worldview emphasizing the inherent goodness of humanity and the belief that intuition, rather than logic or experience, could reveal the deepest truths.1

Key figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were central to this movement. They drew inspiration from various sources, including German idealism, Platonism, and Eastern scriptures.123

Transcendentalists advocated for social reforms, including women's suffrage and abolitionism, and experimented with communal living. Their ideas influenced later American philosophical and artistic movements.13

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