“Nature is the national past, the basis of the national identity, an infinite source of moral regeneration, and guarantee of the democratic constitution,” (Opie 199). The picturesque and sublime aesthetic approaches to landscapes became foundational in American culture. America in its entirety is a melting pot, the culmination of other cultures into one country. However, Europeans were among the first to develop and colonize North America. Consequently, many European artists, poets, writers, and philosophers brought with them their ideas and knowledge. The Transcendentalist movement provided the largest impact in cementing these aesthetic approaches into American culture. Deep within the American construct is the idea of nationalism. Americans
