Is it true that the 19th century saw a surge of new ideologies in politics, philosophy, and science, often referred to as 'the Enlightenment'?

The Enlightenment, a period of revolutionary ideas, actually bloomed in the 18th century, not the 19th. Think of figures like Isaac Newton, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau – they were all central to the Enlightenment and lived primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries. This era emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism, challenging traditional authority and paving the way for modern science and democratic thought. The 19th century, while also a time of significant intellectual change, saw the rise of ideologies like Marxism, nationalism, and Darwinism. These were distinct from the Enlightenment's core tenets, building upon its foundations but focusing on different societal and scientific questions. So, while the 19th century was undoubtedly a period of intense intellectual ferment, attributing the Enlightenment to it is historically inaccurate. It's easy to get the centuries mixed up, but remembering the key figures and their timelines helps keep it straight!