The enlightment basic ideology is freedom. Freedom to choose your own opinion, freedom to do what you desire, freedom to pursue something that you want, etc.
The independence itself is the embodiment of enlightnment because independence is the act of break free from a restrictive rule or establishment that previously dictate what you should and shouldn't do.
The McCulloch v. Maryland is the case that went to the Supreme Court because the state of Maryland wanted to tax the National Bank established by the Congress. The court ruled that under the Article I, Section 8, the "Necessary and Proper" clause that the state could not tax the institution of the the federal government. This is an landmark case and its effect was that this supported the federal government over the state governments.
C. 250 years (I believe )