Essay about Rationalism in America The Age That Shaped...

It can be said, but not denied, that the United States of America is one of the most powerful countries in the world today, and has been for arguably the last one hundred years. With its political agendas and military strength it shapes governments; with its social trends and values it shapes cultures. But what, exactly, shaped the United States? The various worldviews that have sprouted from Western philosophy is the most obvious answer, but, to be more specific, it is how those worldviews were adopted that were of the most significance. Whether it was the strict nature of the Puritans, who can be held responsible for the widely-held fear of sexuality, drug-use, and various other topics in America; or the revolutionary ideas of the†¦show more content†¦In the eyes of the colonists, they were gaining nothing from being British citizens that they could not give themselves, and were putting themselves on a lower level by remaining under the political threshold of the British m onarchy. With no vote in Parliament and having such a detrimental physical separation between themselves and their government, maintaining an allegiance to the British crown seemed both absurd and counter-productive. Another important aspect—besides the negative repercussions of remaining under British service—that showcases the value of independence to the American colonists is the fact that they thought they, â€Å"were, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.† The fact that they believed that they had the right to their independence if they wished was revolutionary and practically unheard of at that time; however, in the years to come, this idea would spread throughout countries like France and Haiti thanks to the rebellious actions of the colonies. Without thisShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightenment Principles Of Rationalism And Universal Rights1684 Words   |  7 Pagesand Jean-Jacques Rousseau were signposts of this era, inspiring populations loca lly and abroad. 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