SQ 4: What effect did the Enlightenment have on social reform movements and monarchs in the 18th century?

Enlightenment also called the age of reason in the 18th century. During this period there was a focus on the human intellect and reason as the primary source of knowledge, a completely different idea than before.

This had a deep effect on social reforms and monarchies in Europe, because for a long time the Church was the center of human knowledge and the Church defended whatever was important for their beliefs, when Enlightenment came, people started to see themselves as individuals that had rights and were equal, which eventually led to the fall of several monarchies such as the french one. Enlightenment also changed social structures by making society more equal based on the fact all people deserved liberty and equality.