Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Miscellaneous Individualism Individualism Early American thought was greatly influenced by the importance of individualism. This importance, expressed by early leaders and the American public, is still evident and widely viewed as the most important component of American political culture today. Therefore, one can conclude that this belief system is merely a natural, innate desire, perhaps evident in all mankind. Another can conclude that individualism was the direct effect of proper government establishment. Whatever the case may be, feelings of individualism were apparent in early American minds. Evidence of early American’s commitment to individualism can be found throughout early texts and documents. These documents are proof that many early influential leaders – attempting to satisfy the needs of the American public – have expressed devotions to individualism. However, it is also apparent that the early thought of individualism is not directly similar to the individualistic views we carry today. Early American attempts to formulate a democracy were founded on responding to the wants of “free” persons. Therefore, the individualistic views noted in this early period are rights that modern Americans perhaps take for granted. Since the origins of the Puritans, the widespread passion for individualism had helped to build one of the most successful ruling institutions, meeting the concerns and requests of the American people. First it is necessary to discuss the implications of individualism. The idea of the individual as being the point of a society is a Lockean concept; this therefore would be a Liberalist conception. However, it is still a point of departure for any political idea in America. The early Americans were fiercely independent and have never thought about "society" as being something into which individuals need to be placed as important parts in a larger machine. Therefore, the individual was sacred in American thinking. All constructs of government and society stem from the attempt to help individuals attain their own ideals and their own happiness. Bibliography: Word Count: 318
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