Before the start of the American Revolution, many theories and ideals surrounding political philosophy began to emerge, focused on presenting new ideas of republicanism to the within the government, as well as paving the way for a new wave of nationalism. Strongly pioneered by philosophical leaders such as John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine, the ideas espoused by these individuals became the spark of the American Revolution and eventually evolved into cornerstones of American ideology and political systems . As these ideals became a rallying cry for the need to be independent of royal authority, the colonists began to defend their own rights against the oppressive regime, demanding that they be granted equal representation and not not be used to Great Britain's advantage. In order to intrinsically understand how the ideas of republicanism and nationalism impacted the mindsets and institutions of the pre- and post-Revolutionary War landscape, it is necessary to analyze each of the thought leaders mentioned above. above in terms of the specific components that they promoted, and how that happened. ultimately played a role in the development of many organizational and institutional aspects of the newly independent colonies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay When analyzing the ideas inherent in American republicanism and nationalism in the pre-revolutionary era, it was evident that the pressure and constant oppression of British rule led to the strong adoption and implementation of the ideals. One of the main influencers of these ideals was that of the philosopher John Locke, who initially proposed the idea of ​​establishing a representative republic within an independent population. In a nutshell, Locke's ideas revolve around "democracy, limited government, republicanism, self-determination, the rule of law, equality of opportunity, and freedom of speech." (Tierney, 2011) As these values ​​were widely implemented and adopted by colonial society, it became clear to Americans that they did not benefit from any of these core liberal ideals. It was rather obvious that Britain was depriving the colonists of many of their inherent freedoms, particularly regarding equality of opportunity, self-determination, and the rule of law. This was manifested in the series of acts and decrees that the British crown attempted to impose on the colonists in order to maximize financial benefits and be able to extricate themselves from the situation of debt and difficulty in which they found themselves . An example of these actions implemented was seen in the Stamp and Townshend Acts before the revolution, which impacted the core of colonial society. Of the two, perhaps the most infamous is the second, which focuses on reaping the profits from goods and raw materials imported into North America. In doing so, “in 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Duties, a new set of external taxes levied on goods before they entered colonial markets, and ushered in stricter enforcement policies. Americans reaffirmed their opposition to all taxation without representation. (Ch. 6) This, along with the Stamp Act which raised the prices of domestic goods in the colonies, laid the foundation for the nationalist ideals that began to emerge. While Locke's ideas have become the cornerstone of Americans' beliefs and rallying cries, these restrictive measures andoppressive measures taken by the British crown further fueled American opposition which demanded their equality, whatever the cost. The feeling of nationalism that began to run rampant throughout the American colonies was manifested in the dissemination of ideas through documents and relays of information. Whether through newspaper publications, published pamphlets on governmental aspects, and an array of other means, the settlers began to educate themselves about their rights and freedoms that should be afforded. One of the most influential figures in promoting this fervor was Thomas Paine. A citizen of Great Britain, then embarking to the American colonies, Paine became a major foundation in promoting independence and equality, as well as a critic of the British crown in the means by which it governed the colonies. In doing so, “while colonial resentments were initially directed primarily against the king's ministers and Parliament, Paine places the blame firmly at the king's door. And it appeals to the feeling among Americans that they have every resource and pretension to govern themselves without the interference and control of an agency halfway around the world. Subverting the paternalistic metaphors of Britain's colonial claims, Paine creates the image of a nation come of age, ready to free itself from its ruling bonds, with every reason to separate itself from its unnatural parent, and seeking to stand out as a commercial republic, a trader in its own right. » (Stanford.edu) In this regard, Paine became one of the first sparks behind organizing and promoting opposition to British royalty, placing the blame squarely on the king himself and aiming in further to show the American public that the times had come to stand up for their own rights. His most widely read and widely distributed pamphlets, Rights of Man, became the cornerstone of the development of the ideal in the American colonies that they had the capacity and power to stand up to oppressors who found themselves the other side of the Atlantic. These beliefs flowed directly from many republican and nationalist thought processes, as increasing influence was placed on establishing a government that would be representative of their interests, as opposed to a regime that had none of their interests in mind. Thomas Paine believed that although the American colonists thought the path to establishing a government would be arduous and difficult, that with the proper organizational structures and plan of action, it is far more feasible than previously thought initially. He believed that one aspect that needed to be implemented was that of the Continental Congress, which would provide a framework and body of documentation directly related to how the country would be governed. By bringing together the most qualified and representative individuals from the nation's population, it would ensure that the elements of the documents that would be presented to the Continental Congress would reflect the best interests of those who lived in the colonies, instead of meeting the needs of those who lived in the colonies. the British crown. As the concepts of republicanism and many of Locke's ideals began to echo throughout the campaign, influencing the impending rebellion to come, internal leaders looked to the organizational components to ensure that these values ​​remained intact as the nation was progressing. Perhaps one of the most obvious ways to see this is through drafts and revisions of the Declaration of Independence of.