The Enlightenment: New Ideas

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu advocated for ideas surrounding democracy, liberty, and the separation of powers.

Their writings inspired revolutions and reform movements around the world, promoting the belief that knowledge and reason could improve society. The Enlightenment fundamentally reshaped how people viewed government and their rights as citizens.