The Enlighment movement emerged in Europe during the 18th century and it was constituted by philosophers that promoted Reason and the scientific method over medieval superstition and religious dogmas, and the establishment of democratic societies where the power resided on its people, and not in monarchs or rulers "appointed by God". The resulting states that emerged based on the principles of this movement, enacted bills of civil rights for the first time in history, and implemented principles such as the division of powers or the social contract, through which citizens elected their governors by suffrage.
Such Enlightment principles were transferred to the American colonies, where the population claimed for political representation rather than being governed by foreigners that were appointed by a foreign king. Such claims were ignored and the colonies, influenced by the new democratic principles, started several revolutionary movements for independence aiming to establish new states based on the Enlightment principles such as in Europe.