The Enlightenment

What was it? The Enlightenment, also known as the age of reason, was a philosophical,
intellectual and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They argued
that human life and character could be improved through the use of education and reason.
Where did it occur? It began in Europe in the 1700’s and spread to many parts of the world
like North America.
What was the driving force behind it? The thinkers of the Enlightenment objected to absolute
power of the royal rulers and of the Roman Catholic Church. They used reason, or logical
thinking, and science to attack this power. They believed in criticism, and freedom of thought
over blind faith and superstition. Their ideas helped bring about the American Revolution and
the French Revolution.