fbpx

KidsKonnect

Ralph Waldo Emerson Facts & Worksheets

Renowned philosopher, author, and thinker of his day, Ralph Waldo Emerson is most remembered for his expression of the transcendentalist principles of the individual's boundless potential and creative intuition.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Ralph Waldo Emerson Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Renowned philosopher, author, and thinker of his day, Ralph Waldo Emerson, is most remembered for his expression of the transcendentalist principles of the individual’s boundless potential and creative intuition.

See the fact file below for more information on Ralph Waldo Emerson, or you can download our 21-page Ralph Waldo Emerson worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • American poet, philosopher, and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, the son of Ruth and William Emerson, a pastor like many of his male ancestors.
  • Emerson was raised by his mother and aunt, Mary Moody Emerson after William died of stomach cancer in 1811, and the family was left in relative poverty.
  • At the age of 14, Emerson enrolled at Harvard. He also worked as a waiter, taught summer school, and, with his brother Edward, authored papers for other students to help pay his bills. 
  • Before enrolling at Harvard Divinity School in 1825, Emerson, who graduated in the top half of his class, first worked as a teacher in his brother William’s school.
  • He was able to start preaching after receiving his master’s degree a year later. Emerson was granted a preaching permit by the Middlesex Association of Ministers in 1826.
  • He became quite ill that fall and may have shown the first symptoms of the TB that ultimately claimed his brother William’s life. In late November, he traveled south to South Carolina and Florida in the hope that time spent in a warmer climate would speed up his recovery. 
  • He returned to New England the following spring in much better condition and began preaching in Unitarian churches in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
  • In New Hampshire, he met poet Ellen Tucker, who was 17 years old and suffering from tuberculosis. Ellen Tucker and Emerson were married in 1829. When she died of TB in 1831, he was heartbroken. He had lately gone through a spiritual crisis, and when she passed away, he decided to leave the ministry.
  • He married Lydia Jackson, his second wife, in 1835 and moved to Concord, Massachusetts.

CAREER IN LITERACY

  • Emerson finished his studies in theology at Harvard, received his ordination, and began his ministry at Boston’s historic Second Church. On October 28, 1832, he announced that he was stepping down from his position as pastor after more than three years of ministry and about 200 sermons. 
  • In 1832, Emerson traveled to Europe and met Thomas Carlyle, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and William Wordsworth. Emerson began his career as a public lecturer in Boston, discussing spiritual experiences and morals in the fall of 1833, following his return from Europe. 
  • One of his earliest lectures, “The Uses of Natural History,” attempted to humanize science by asserting that “the whole of Nature is a metaphor or image of the human mind,” a claim he would make repeatedly. 
  • Emerson, who was referred to in the local literary community as “The Sage of Concord,” rose to prominence as the leading representative of the American literary and philosophical movement known as transcendentalism.
  • “Nature” (1836), Emerson’s first publication, is probably the most explicit representation of his transcendentalism, which maintains that everything in our world is a microcosm of the cosmos. 
  • Transcendentalists were able to reject outside authority in favor of personal experience thanks to his concept of the Over-Soul, a Supreme Mind that every man and woman possessed.
  • Emerson organized his articles using recurring themes and pictures and wrote them in poetic prose. 
  • On the other hand, his poetry is frequently described as harsh and instructive. Essays, First and Second Series, are two of Emerson’s best-known compositions. 
  • Emerson’s well-known essay “Self-Reliance,” which is part of the First Series, exhorts the reader to consider his relationship with God and Nature and to trust his own judgment above all else. In addition, he also served as editor of “The Dial” from 1842 until 1844.

PHILOSOPHY

  • The philosophy of Emerson is heavily influenced by the writings of Plotinus, Emanuel Swedenborg, and Jakob Böhme. His philosophy is distinguished by its dependence on intuition as the only means of understanding reality. 
  • Emerson had unwavering faith in human potential and the “divine sufficiency of the individual.”
  • In addition, according to his philosophy, nature itself serves as a symbol or hint of a more profound reality. It reveals what is beyond nature. Not at odds with one another, matter and spirit provide a crucial oneness of experience. 
  • Emerson is frequently referred to as an idealist philosopher, and he did, in fact, use the term to describe his own philosophy.
  • He defined the simple acceptance that a plan always comes before a course of action. He believed that everything is constantly changing and that “being” itself is undergoing transformation. 

LEGACY AND DEATH

  • At the age of sixty-eight and after a lifetime of illness, Emerson’s health started to deteriorate. 
  • He continued to speak, but because of his failing eyes, his son frequently had to stand next to him on stage to point to the appropriate spot in his manuscript and read things he was having trouble understanding. 
  • His hearing also slowly deteriorated, and eventually, he lost his voice. On April 27, 1882, “The Sage of Concord” passed away quietly in his sleep. He was 79 years old.
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson established himself as a prolific poet, essayist, well-liked lecturer, and supporter of social change even though he was wary of reform and reformers during his lifetime, becoming the most well-known man of letters in America. 
  • With his poetry, Emerson gained considerable notoriety. He also corresponded with many of the most important thinkers and artists of the time, served as a Unitarian minister on occasion, and preached and later published a number of contentious sermons.
  • Emerson is still regarded as the most significant nineteenth-century American philosopher and, in some respects, the founder of contemporary American thought. 
  • Emerson has a celebrity status unknown to succeeding American philosophers; this may be because of how easily his writing can be paraphrased. 

The main ways that the general reading public is familiar with Emerson’s work are through his aphorisms, found on posters, tea boxes, calendars, breath mint boxes, and other examples of popular culture, as well as his individual essays.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ralph Waldo Emerson across 21 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ralph Waldo Emerson. Renowned philosopher, author, and thinker of his day, Ralph Waldo Emerson, is most remembered for his expression of the transcendentalist principles of the individual’s boundless potential and creative intuition.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Ralph Waldo Emerson Facts
  2. About RW Emerson
  3. Emerson’s Time
  4. Transcendentalism
  5. Transcendental Thoughts
  6. The Individual
  7. Divine Nature
  8. The Concord Hymn
  9. The Rhodora
  10. Think Like Emerson
  11. Photographic Quotes

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Ralph Waldo Emerson?

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher. He was a central figure in the transcendentalist movement of the 19th century, which emphasized individualism, self-reliance, and the importance of nature. Emerson’s writings, including essays such as “Self-Reliance” and “Nature,” had a profound impact on American literature and philosophical thought.

What were Emerson’s key beliefs and ideas?

Emerson believed in the inherent goodness of humans and the importance of self-reliance, individualism, and intuition. He emphasized the power of the individual to think independently and rejected conformity and societal constraints. Emerson’s philosophy emphasized the unity of all things in nature and the divinity present within each individual.

What is Emerson’s most famous essay?

Emerson’s most famous essay is “Self-Reliance.” Published in 1841, it explores the idea of individualism and encourages readers to trust their own instincts, values, and beliefs. In “Self-Reliance,” Emerson advocates for the importance of nonconformity and the rejection of societal pressures and norms.

How did Emerson view nature?

Emerson had a deep appreciation for nature and viewed it as a source of spiritual and moral inspiration. He believed that spending time in nature could help individuals connect with their inner selves and gain a deeper understanding of the world. Emerson’s writings often celebrated the beauty, harmony, and transformative power of nature.

What is Emerson’s legacy?

Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered one of America’s most influential literary and philosophical figures. His ideas on self-reliance, individualism, and the importance of nature have had a lasting impact on American literature, philosophy, and culture. Emerson’s writings continue to inspire individuals to think critically, embrace their own unique paths, and seek a deeper connection with nature and themselves.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Ralph Waldo Emerson Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 21, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources