The Enlightenment
Thinkers promoted reason, liberty and human rights.
About this topic
The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement of the 1700s that used reason to examine society, politics and religion. Inspired by the Scientific Revolution, thinkers called philosophes believed that natural laws also governed human affairs and that progress was possible through education and critical thinking. Its motto, from Immanuel Kant, was dare to know.
John Locke argued that people have natural rights to life, liberty and property, and that governments rule by consent and can be overthrown if they violate rights. Montesquieu proposed separating government into branches; Voltaire fought for freedom of speech and religious tolerance; Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote of the social contract and the general will; Adam Smith explained free markets; Mary Wollstonecraft argued for women's education; and Cesare Beccaria opposed torture. Ideas spread in salons, coffeehouses and the Encyclopedia of Diderot.
These ideas inspired the American and French Revolutions and documents such as the Declaration of Independence, whose phrase life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness echoes Locke. Example: the US Constitution's three branches follow Montesquieu. Misconception: Enlightenment thinkers did not always apply equality to everyone, and many ignored slavery and women's rights, which later reformers challenged using these same principles.
Key ideas
- Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau
- Separation of powers
- Inspired revolutions
Quick check
Use cases: where The Enlightenment helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind The Enlightenment before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall The Enlightenment without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how The Enlightenment changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain The Enlightenment in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Studying the past helps explain today’s politics, borders, cultures and institutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Enlightenment?
Thinkers promoted reason, liberty and human rights.
What will I learn in The Enlightenment?
Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau. Separation of powers. Inspired revolutions.
Is The Enlightenment part of World History?
Yes. It is one of 80 World History topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the The Enlightenment lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study The Enlightenment?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.