What is 'The Enlightenment' famously known for?

The 18th century was a period of huge intellectual and cultural upheaval in Europe, and this era is often called 'The Enlightenment'. Think of it as a time when people started questioning traditional authority and looking for answers through reason and scientific observation. Before this, many aspects of life were dictated by religious dogma or the whims of monarchs. But Enlightenment thinkers began to champion ideas like individual rights, democracy, and the separation of powers – principles that heavily influenced the American and French Revolutions. Philosophers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant were central to this movement, developing new theories about government, ethics, and knowledge. The Enlightenment also saw significant advancements in science, with figures like Isaac Newton laying the groundwork for modern physics. So, when we talk about the Enlightenment, we're talking about a period where new ideas about politics, philosophy, and science really took hold and reshaped the world. While the abolition of slavery and worker protections were important developments, they came later and weren't the defining characteristics of the Enlightenment itself. And while the Industrial Revolution happened around the same time, it was a separate, though related, phenomenon focused on technological and economic changes.