What is Individualism? Individualism is described as a belief of onees unique thoughts and actions. Itfs a vital part of each personfs life which stresses independence and self-reliance. Individualism was heavily neglected during the Middle Ages after the Classical antiquity since it was considered as heresy if onees opinion objected the Roman Catholic Church. Individualism is important because it allows one person to have a voice and not just have a body of people be in charge. So, how was individualism restored?
The Renaissance was the first to resurface individualism. It included incredible minds of inventors, artists, and philosophers. Beginning around 1350 to 1650, it started in Italy since trades revolved around it due to the crusades. It was the time that humanism arose and art was respected. Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press which revolutionized the spread of knowledge and book-making. This pushed individualism forward since numerous documents were able to become publicized to the world.

The Reformation followed, giving more power to individuals. It began in 1517 to 1650 in which Martin Luther and many others hoped to reform the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther is a key example of supporting individualism since he protested the Church of selling indulgences and the posted his 95 Theses. This started a revolution which spawned numerous protestant sects.
The idea of individualism continued to prosper during the Scientific Revolution. Copernicus was the first to release the thought of heliocentrism in the 16th century. It was then supported by Kepler, with proper reinforcements despite the public thoughts and its contradiction to the Ptolemy system. Galileo Galilei challenged the church authority and with his theories of the earth, which also supported individualism.
The final era that helped shape individualism to what it is today is the Age of Exploration/Conquest. The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes shows the idea of individualism the most. His achievements of conquering a great nation showed the power of an individual and also influencing other individuals such as Pizzaro, whom took Peru. Cortes led the way to a new way to think.
All of these different eras influenced individualism to what it is today in one way or another. Extraordinary individuals of these times contributed heavily to the ideas we cherish today. The Renaissance with the beginning of a new way to think, the Reformation reinforcing those thoughts, the Scientific Revolution continuing on with the legacy, and finally the Age of Exploration/Conquest coming with a strong finish. We owe these periods of time a lot for giving us the power of being an individual in todayfs society.