Major features of the Enlightenment period that influenced modern governance include the emphasis on reason, individual rights, and social contracts. Thinkers like John Locke and Montesquieu advocated for ideas such as separation of powers and the protection of natural rights, forming the philosophical underpinnings of modern democracy. Their writings encouraged challenges to traditional authority and inspired revolutions, promoting the belief that governments should be based on the consent of the governed and accountable to citizens, significantly shaping contemporary political systems.