In 1872 he wrote Nationale Bestrebungen, the manifesto of the Young Latvians. In 1873 Kronvalds moved to Vecpiebalga, where he worked as a teacher in a local school; he also participated by delivering two speeches, in the first Latvian Song and Dance Festival in the same year.
Kronvalds's writing in 1872, Nationale Bestrebungen, marked a pivotal moment for the Young Latvians. The following year, he took on a new role in Vecpiebalga, teaching at a local school and contributing to the first-ever Latvian Song and Dance Festival.