Revolutionary War
Although the ideology of the American Revolution stemmed from Enlightenment philosophers in England and Continental Europe, the Revolutionary War was a uniquely American phenomenon. After all, the war not only transformed the social, cultural, and political landscape in the Americas; it would also spur the French populace to rebel against its own monarchic rule. The American Revolution kick-started several successive changes in European history. Monarchies weakened and world trade all but eliminated the feudal order. In the United States itself, the Revolution meant meaningful change in the ways local governments operated. Taxation systems and methods of legislation and law enforcement reflected Republican ideals. Traditional social hierarchies including caste systems gave way to a relatively egalitarian society. Granted, not all Americans prospered and many remained poor. Some elitism persisted in the United States after independence but for the most part the revolution did usher in a new era of democracy and human rights.
The American Revolution was based on principles that were nothing short of revolutionary. The idea that all human beings were born equal and that as equals and that all had equal rights flew in the face of traditional social norms. In the Old World, social hierarchies determined political and economic status. In the New World, citizens at least had the opportunity to participate in town meetings. The newly bestowed rights and freedoms were not universal, however. Slaves and women were both excluded from the political process, stripped of the liberties granted to white males.
Moreover, the revolution proposed a new form of republican government that was "by the people." The Greeks had practiced a democratic form of government but the Americans extended Hellenistic ideas by fusing them with Enlightenment theory. The Revolutionary War did alter the political landscape of the New World. Rather than be governed from beyond as a colony, the United States asserted its right to self-government.
