What was romanticism and how did Americans adapt to it?

Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that emerged in the late 18th century, emphasizing emotion, nature, individualism, and the sublime. In America, this movement found expression through literature, art, and philosophy, with figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau advocating for a deep connection to nature and personal intuition. American adaptations included the transcendentalist movement, which celebrated self-reliance and spiritual over material pursuits, as well as the exploration of American landscapes in art and poetry. This cultural shift helped shape a distinctly American identity that valued freedom, creativity, and the beauty of the natural world.