Lesson 51 of 84 · World Religions
⭐ 30 XP🤝 People CircleThe Enlightenment: New Ideas
The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, emerged in the late 17th and 18th centuries, promoting ideas centered around reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority.
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Then & Now
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The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, emerged in the late 17th and 18th centuries, promoting ideas centered around reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged existing notions of government and society, advocating for principles such as liberty, equality, and the social contract. The Enlightenment significantly influenced modern democratic thought and inspired revolutions across Europe and the Americas. By encouraging critical thinking and debate, it laid the intellectual groundwork for the rights and freedoms that are foundational to many modern democracies.
Key Facts
The Enlightenment emphasized reason and individualism.
Key figures included John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau.
The movement inspired democratic revolutions in Europe and the Americas.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2What was a key idea promoted during the Enlightenment?
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The Enlightenment: New Ideas
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