The Enlightenment was a period of deep scientific thought throughout Western Europe which brought many (mainly philosophers) to begin questioning authority and how they were ruled. Many common citizens were uneducated and unable to educate themselves due to their illiteracy. Instead, they simply followed those who were educated (the church, government) and allowed them to use this to any means. Philosophers such as Martin Luther and Isaac Newton, fed up with the lies being fed to the people, began printing bibles into a variety of languages, encouraging education, and creating experiments to debunk church claims. Due to this rise in learning and enlightenment, more books and publications were being made, and more people began talking and sharing their new ideas.
The Enlightenment was a result of a number of factors. The Scientific Revolution played an important role in educating people about the laws of nature. The Scientific Revolution, along with the Protestant Reformation, weakened the power of the Catholic Church. It also led people to question the power of monarchs and begin to consider their individual rights. In addition, the humanist belief in the potential of individuals encouraged people to control their own lives. Ideas like these presented people with an opportunity to use rational thought and observations in making decisions in all aspects of life.
