The Enlightenment was a movement created by the use of new scientific and political ideas in Europe. ... The Enlightenment was also known as the Age of Reason and it reached its height in the mid-1700's. In both England and France the major cause of the Enlightenment was the power of the government. ... John Locke was a philosopher who believed that did not have to constantly be in war but they could learn from their mistakes and improve themselves. ... Voltaire was a sharp-mouthed philosopher that believed in the freedom of speech. ...

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• Grade Level: High School

Optimism was the prevailing feeling of the time however, and Enlightenment thought was very prevalent. ... Nothing better reflects anti-Enlightenment than Candide and Pangloss' trip to Lisbon. ... Philosophers of the time believed in control over fortunes and in some cases nature itself. ... An Enlightenment writer might not have even had the storm occur at all. ... Through Enlightenment much would change. ...

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an influential French political philosopher and educationist in the Enlightenment time. ... He soon became a friend of Denis Diderot, the French philosopher who commissioned him to write articles on music for the French Encyclopedia. ... He was a very contributive and influential philosopher. ...

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Jefferson was a philosopher, educator, naturalist, politician, scientist, architect, inventor, pioneer in scientific farming, musician, and writer, and he was the foremost spokesman for democracy of his day. ... These ideas came from European philosophers, Jacques Rousseau. He was a French philosopher, social and political theorist, musician, botanist, and one of the most eloquent writers of the Age of Enlightenment. ...

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• Grade Level: High School