Part 5/10:
The Enlightenment: A Societal Shake-Up
The Enlightenment brought about a challenging of authority and an emphasis on reason. Thinkers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot were at the forefront, advocating for human rights and the separation of powers, which echoed through the revolutionary waves that swept France and beyond. The Enlightenment’s legacy would inspire revolutions—instigating ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity that remain fundamental to European identity today.