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Enlightenment Era Facts & Worksheets

The Enlightenment Era took place following the Dark Ages in Europe, wherein newfound ideas were used to improve the human condition and spark further change.

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A series of extensive changes in Europe began after the 14th century, or its Dark Ages. After surviving various wars, pandemics, and famine, a lasting period of “rebirth” through the Renaissance followed—a time known to have transitioned the world into modernity. Culture, architecture, science, literature, and many other fields blossomed. This period of successive development paved the way for an era called the Enlightenment, where newfound ideas were used to improve the human condition and spark further change.

See the fact file below for more information on the Enlightenment Era or alternatively, you can download our 23-page The Enlightenment Era worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY ENLIGHTENMENT

  • The Enlightenment as an era is well-discussed, but when it specifically began and ended remains a topic for debate. In fact, there are many Enlightenments (French Enlightenment, German Enlightenment, etc.) that had contrasting ideas. Regardless, there are thinkers often credited for providing a good head start for future advancements.
  • Francis Bacon: Often called the Father of Empiricism, Bacon’s works are said to have formally developed the scientific method; therefore, his influence stretched far after his death in 1626.
  • One of his writings, the “Novum Organum,” became an instrumental development to the scientific method by providing avant-garde approaches to logic and the production of knowledge.
  • Galileo Galilei: Similar to Bacon, Galileo is credited as the Father of many developments: modern physics, modern science, the scientific method, and observational astronomy.
  • For proposing the Heliocentric idea that the sun was the center of the universe instead of the Earth, he was declared “vehemently suspect of heresy” by the Catholic Church.
  • Thus, he was subject to house arrest from 1633 until his death in 1642. Only more than 300 years after his death did the church admit that his proposal was correct.
  • Thomas Hobbes: Through his seminal work, “Leviathan,” Hobbes is considered a founder of modern political philosophy. Although best known for his political theory on how the legitimacy of governments can be better established, he also contributed to geometry, physics, theology, and other disciplines.
  • According to him, happiness could be achieved through “social contracts” between the government and the governed. He lived until 91 years old and died in 1679.
  • René Descartes: Called the Father of modern Western philosophy, Descartes advocated Cartesian or “methodic” doubt, which became the one of the most prominent bases of modern thinking (e.g., casting doubt on church teachings, past discoveries, etc.).
  • According to him, only human beings, and not God, could unravel and guarantee what is true. He died in 1650, after having contracted pneumonia.
  • Isaac Newton: Through the “Principia,” Newton provided two of his intellectual hallmarks: the laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. Other than being of great importance to the field of mathematics, it is also regarded as one, if not the most significant contribution to modern physics, as his laws of motion paved the way for the existence of classical mechanics.
  • The methods he used to justify his theories on gravity and motion later became what is known as “calculus” in present-day. Leaving the world with his monumental discoveries, he died in 1727.
  • John Locke: Building on Hobbes’ ideas, Locke wrote the “Two Treatises of Government,” which pushed for the separation of church and state, rights to property ownership, and for states to recognize citizens’ “innate rights” by contract.
  • His works influenced the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776 in Locke’s terminologies. Along with Newton, he provided one of the keys to the Enlightenment’s major successes.
  • Baron de Montesquieu: Just as Locke’s separation of church and state became widely implemented throughout the world, so did Montesquieu’s separation of powers, which divided governments into branches: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. An extremely high fever befell him in 1755.
  • Voltaire: Being another central figure to Enlightenment thought, Voltaire proposed that only reason could achieve true social progress; thus, no religion or government should be exempt from being challenged by it. He died in 1778, having made a name for himself among some of the greatest French writers.

HIGH ENLIGHTENMENT (1730 TO 1780)

  • Building on the Early Enlightenment’s ideas, the High Enlightenment materializes the belief that everything can be studied, and that humanity can arrive at an objective truth. Central to and representative of this notion is Denis Diderot’s controversial but prominent “Encyclopédie” that compiled the known works of their time to “change the way people think.” Specifically, to stray from religious and traditional bases when it comes to knowledge.
  • The High Enlightenment forced Christians to rationalize religious beliefs; because if they didn’t, the church would lose a large fraction of its followers. A variety of works at the time displayed the people’s confusion and disappointment about church teachings.
  • The eventual acceptance of Galileo’s Heliocentric view revolutionized belief systems forever, as moral principles and religion became more loosely tied than ever.
  • Mathematics became the authority for its ability to distinguish baseless speculations from logical truths and certainties.
  • Political thinkers, John Locke and Pierre Bayle, began to advocate the doctrine of separation of church and state. The constant questioning of religious orthodoxy promoted progressive ideas independent of religious intervention.
  • Deism, the application of reason in religious teachings, became popular. Regardless, religious doubt produced more radical and progressive movements such as atheism and skepticism.

IMPACT OF ENLIGHTENMENT THOUGHT

  • The beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 is often attributed as the end of the Enlightenment era. The revolt was caused directly by France’s social structure which the masses finally realized was largely beneficial only to the elites.
  • Historically, it can be said that Enlightenment ideas sparked the revolution. Its ideas on rationality, freedoms, rights, and social progress are some of the strongest themes behind the French revolution’s rationale: that is, overthrowing the current government to rebuild it with more rational systems would improve their way of life. The monarchs of France at the time were chosen through Divine Right, an idea debunked during the Enlightenment.

AFTERMATH OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT

  • Rationalizing reality: The structure of society and governments changed, and people sought the end of political tyranny. The concept of “rights” became more prominent, and Locke’s separation of church and state and Montesquieu’s separation of powers were eventually implemented in many countries. Many people advocated democratically functioning governments and the rule of law. At this point, citizens no longer tolerated being spoon fed misinformation, and believed that man was born free.
  • Rebirthing science: The concept of rational thought has long existed, but the term “science” was only coined in the late 18th century, around the end of the Enlightenment–which positioned science and mathematics as the central authority after centuries of monarchy and religious domination.
  • Revolutionizing religion: Church attendance dramatically decreased during the Enlightenment, while skepticism, agnosticism, and atheism became more rampant. Since then, the church made further attempts to rationalize teachings and ideas. Regardless, they suffered an inevitable loss in followers.

Enlightenment Era Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Enlightenment Era across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Enlightenment Era worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the series of extensive changes in Europe, which began after the 14th century, or its Dark Ages. After surviving various wars, pandemics, and famine, a lasting period of “rebirth” through the Renaissance followed—a time known to have transitioned the world into modernity. Culture, architecture, science, literature, and many other fields blossomed. This period of successive development paved the way for an era called the Enlightenment, where newfound ideas were used to improve the human condition and spark further change.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • The Enlightenment Era Fact File
  • The ideal intellectual
  • Before and after
  • Bloodshed for peace
  • Collecting knowledge
  • Against all odds
  • Overly grounded
  • Leaving a mark
  • Breakthroughs
  • Behind the scenes
  • A change of heart

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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