Essential Enlightenment: What was the Enlightenment?

Broadly speaking, the Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement, largely based in Europe, that spanned about a century—from the mid-to-late 1600s to the late 1700s. It was a time of major intellectual upheaval, characterized by the rise of reason and the scientific method as tools for understanding the world and bringing about progress. In fact, many of the radical ideas that came about in the Enlightenment period would ultimately lay the foundation for the liberal democratic institutions that we take for granted today, including: impartial courts and the rule of law, democratically elected governments, separation of church and state, equality for all people, and freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Watch this video to learn more, and visit www.EssentialEnlightenment.org.