Legacies of the American Revolution

How revolutionary was the American Revolution? Historians generally classify the American Revolution as more of a political revolution than a social revolution, but there were some very important changes in American society following the Revolution that should not be overlooked. The ideals of the American Revolution were rooted in classical republicanism and egalitarian values, which can be seen in the prohibition of titles of nobility, the gradual emancipation of slaves in the North, and in laws guaranteeing religious liberty. While women did not gain the ability to vote after the Revolution, the ideal of republican motherhood necessitated a greater role for women in the education of their children. More than anyone else, George Washington embodied the republican ideals of the American Revolution, as seen in is commitment to agriculture, civic duty, and republican simplicity.