The American Temper

The American Temper: Patterns of Our Intellectual Heritage explores the evolution of American intellectual thought through four major movements—Puritanism, Republicanism, Transcendentalism, and Pragmatism—each contributing distinctively to the American mind. The Puritans provided a foundational synthesis, embedding Calvinist beliefs with emerging social-contract theories, ultimately shaping a reasoned spirituality. The young republic's Enlightenment brought new freedoms, defining a worldview tha