The Enlightenment brought transformative changes to European thought and governance, emphasizing reason, individualism, and empirical evidence over tradition and religious dogma. Philosophers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu championed ideas of liberty, democracy, and the social contract, challenging the authority of monarchies and advocating for human rights. This intellectual movement influenced political revolutions, such as the American and French Revolutions, leading to the establishment of democratic governments based on Enlightenment principles. Additionally, it encouraged secularism in society and the development of modern sciences, fundamentally reshaping European culture and the course of history.