During the Age of Enlightenment, several critical social changes emerged, characterized by the promotion of reason, science, and individual rights. It championed ideals such as freedom of thought, secularism, and skepticism toward traditional authority. Philosophers like John Locke and Voltaire encouraged the questioning of established norms and the pursuit of knowledge through empirical evidence. This period also led to the development of modern political theories, advocating for democracy and human rights. The Enlightenment laid the foundation for subsequent revolutions, including the American and French revolutions, and significantly influenced the course of Western philosophy, politics, and society.