intro paragraph the intro paragraph states the modern era has unfolded in the shadow of the french revolution the growth of republics and liberal democracies the spread of secularism the development of modern ideologies and the invention of total war all mark their birth during the revolution this intro is very eurocentric liberal democracies existed before the french revolution the united states secularism was not born during this time the development of modern ideologies is ambiguous and total war certainly wasn't invented during this period