What is the enlightenment era?

Find out more about the history of Enlightenment, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more. Get all the facts on HISTORY.com. read more

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was a philosophical movement that took place primarily in Europe and, later, in North America, during the late 17 th and early 18 th century. Its participants thought they were illuminating human intellect and culture after the "dark" Middle Ages. read more

European politics, philosophy, science and communications were radically reoriented during the course of the “long 18th century” (1685-1815) as part of a movement referred to by its participants as the Age of Reason, or simply the Enlightenment. read more

The Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason; in French: le Siècle des Lumières, lit. read more