Enlightenment (c. 1660–1790):

Enlightenment (c. 1660–1790): 

An intellectual movement in France and other parts of Europe that emphasized the importance 

of reason, progress, and liberty. The Enlightenment, sometimes called the Age of Reason, is 

primarily associated with nonfiction writing, such as essays and philosophical treatises. Major 

Enlightenment writers include Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, René 

Descartes.