9781422271803

THE HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL

PLATE 2 Catskill Creek (1850) Jasper Francis Cropsey Oil on canvas, 18 1 ⁄ 2 x 27 1 ⁄

4 inches (47.1 x 69.1 cm)

War of Independence, in which the Americans achieved independence and separated themselves from the British connection. While independence was the emotional spur, the role of religion in the early development of the American nation was highly significant. From the first colonies, all of the European Christian denominations had been represented in the various nationalities of the colonists. In addition, there were a number of small but growing religious sects whose importance in creating a varied and free religious atmosphere was greater than their numbers would have suggested. One feature of the various Christian groups was an evangelical zeal that expressed itself in a burning desire for the conversion of all non believers which, of course, included all the native “Indian” tribes. Although the United States has developed into a predominantly Protestant society, from the very beginning, every religion has always been accepted within the broad community. At the same time, a deep religious conviction was expected in everyone and

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