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Idealism In American Romantic Times, By Horace Mann

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The first important theme of the American Romantics is idealism. Idealism is a recurring theme throughout the American Romantic times, because the way people of this time felt it was their duty to help one another. Due to the Romantics humanitarian beliefs, many people, such as Dorothea Dix and Horace Mann, stood up for unjust and unfair rules for the betterment of society. The first romanticist to fight for a utopian society was Horace Mann. Mann fought to improve public education which at this time was a huge concern because of how the education system was religious based more than academic focused ("Political and Social Milestones"137). Mann believed that education was important for future generations, so he created six key principles to reform the school system. These principles state freedom cannot be maintained by ignorance, the public should help make education affordable, and only trained professionals should be allowed to teach (Horace Mann). Furthermore, Dorothea Dix was another romantic who …show more content…

The Romantics believed that imagination was the highest embodiment possible (Arpin 141). Amongst the Romantics it was said that imagination was able to discover truths that the rational minds could not reach(Arpin 141). They believed that being creative enough and having imagination would help solve their problems. The Romantics believed in this so much they thought the spiritual realm was real and that spirits would help find beauty and truth (Arpin 143). To the Romantics it was important that they didn't get so caught up in discovering through rational means. The Romantics thought that having a simplistic rational mind could not lead them anywhere. The Romantics, even said to themselves that imagination, individual feelings, and wild nature were of far greater value than logic and cultivation (Arpin 141). Which just goes to show that they never gave up on their

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