The Enlightenment The Enlightenment was an 18th century European intellectual movement in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and man were combined into a world view that instigated revolutionary developments in art, philosophy, and politics. Although there are many separate stages to this period, it has been termed "the Enlightenment" for simplicity. The Enlightenment was characterized by the use of reason and rational thought. The goals of rational man were considered to be knowledge, freedom, …showed first 75 words of 609 total…

…showed last 75 words of 609 total…y in the struggle with Napoleon, who had conquered much of the rest of Europe; it was an Englishman, the Duke of Wellington who finally defeated Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo. The Enlightenment period came to an end in western Europe after the outbreak of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era revealed the costs of it's political program and the lack of commitment in those whose speech was more liberal than their actions.