The Enlightenment had a profound impact on human rights, introducing the concept of individual liberties and equality under the law. Thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau advocated for natural rights, arguing that individuals possess inherent rights such as life, liberty, and property. This period emphasized reason, science, and the belief that humans could shape their societies through rational thought and moral philosophy. The Enlightenment also laid the groundwork for significant political revolutions, such as the American and French Revolutions, which sought to establish governments that protected personal freedoms and upheld democratic principles, fundamentally altering Western political thought.