Final answer:
Following the War of 1812, major writers believed 'American' literature should develop independently, breaking away from European influences. The American Renaissance saw a focus on features unique to America, including democracy, freedom, and individualism.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the War of 1812, the major writers of the time believed that 'American' literature should be independent and uniquely American.
They sought to establish a unique American literary voice that reflected the cultural and social identity of the nation. This belief emerged in response to the war and the desire to assert America's independence and distinctiveness from European literary traditions.
It was a period known as the American Renaissance or the Romantic Period, during which there was a surge of nationalistic pride. Writers believed that American literature should break from its European roots and focus on distinctly American themes like democracy, freedom, and individualism. Famous writers of this era such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, contributed to the development and recognition of American Literature worldwide with their distinctly American styles and themes.
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