Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that stresses the importance of personal intuition over rational thought. It began in the early 1800s as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, which had caused many people to lose touch with nature. The transcendentalists believed that humans could find true happiness by reconnecting with nature and living simply. They stressed the inherent goodness of people and nature, and advocated self-reliance, freedom, individualism and appreciation of natural beauty. Many