In the early 19th century, Transcendentalism became popular in the United States, mainly in the New England region. It highlighted the value of individuality, instinct, and the bond between humans and the natural world. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller are a few of the prominent names connected to transcendentalism. It was a response to the rationalism, technological materialism, and increasing emphasis on business and industry that characterized the intellectual and cultural milieu of the time.