The enlightenment was an intellectual movement of the centuries?

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that spanned the late 17th to the early 19th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and scientific inquiry over tradition and religious authority. Thinkers such as john Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant championed ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy, laying the groundwork for modern political thought. The movement fostered advancements in philosophy, science, and human rights, influencing revolutions and societal changes across Europe and the Americas. Ultimately, it marked a significant shift towards rational thought and secularism in shaping modern Western culture.