Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of 19th  century America�s greatest  writers and thinkers. Ralph or Waldo as he liked to be called, was born on May of 1803 in Boston, to William and Ruth Emerson. Waldo  attended Boston Latin School and finely graduated, then went to Harvard College. Following his father footsteps Ralph Waldo Emerson became a minister in 1829, but after his first wife , who at the time was only 17 died, Waldo felt  unable to keep following his religious beliefs and resigned as minister. Ralph and Ellen Tucker were only  married for  a year an a half. After his resignment Emerson went on his first trip to Italy, France, England and Scotland. During this trip he came up with new ideas. New ideas that led up to his discovery of unknown talents. During that trip he prepared some of his �self-reliance�, and  �nature� ideas. This trip made a big impact in Waldo�s life. By the early 1830�s Emerson began an active career as a writer and lecturer. In 1836 he formed the transcendental club, with a group of friends, which included a group of famous writers. As a leader, Ralph Waldo Emerson included in ideas in lectures,(speeches), poems and essays. Also in 1836 Waldo published his essay called �Nature�, based on early writings that he did. In 1841 Ralph published another of his essays, �self-realiance�. This essay includes series of Emerson�s thoughts, and extracts from journals and lectures that he had  written in the years between 1832-1840. Emerson wrote about, or his beliefs were about the �importance of the individual�. Eventhough  Ralph Waldo Emerson  didn�t really had a perfect life, he struggled  to overcome in his goals. He remarried and had kids. After his great works, Emerson died on April 27,1882, at the age of  78.

    After Ralph Emerson�s death his son�s continued  his  works, and  followed in their father�s footsteps.