The Enlightenment was a major intellectual and cultural movement in Europe during the 18th century.

It is also known as the 'Age of Reason' because of its core belief in the power of human reason to understand and improve society.

Enlightenment thinkers, known as 'philosophes,' advocated for ideals such as liberty, progress, tolerance, and constitutional government.

They challenged traditional sources of authority, particularly absolute monarchy and the established church.

Key figures of the Enlightenment included John Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Salons, gatherings in the homes of wealthy patrons, and coffeehouses became important centers for the discussion and spread of Enlightenment ideas.

Denis Diderot's 'Encyclopédie' was a monumental project that aimed to compile all human knowledge and was a key vehicle for Enlightenment thought.

Many Enlightenment thinkers were Deists, believing in a rational God who created the universe but does not intervene in its affairs.

The movement's ideas about natural rights, the social contract, and the separation of powers were highly influential.

The Enlightenment provided the intellectual foundation for the American and French Revolutions.