The intellectual revolutions of this period often generated the military revolutions. With ideas from the enlightenment, women's suffrage, and nationalism, people began to approach their worldview differently.

Historical Developments in Unit 5.1 The Enlightenment

• Enlightenment philosophies applied new ways of understanding and empiricist approaches to both the natural world and human relationships; they also reexamined the role that religion played in public life and emphasized the importance of reason. Philosophers developed new political ideas about the individual, natural rights, and the social contract.

• The rise and diffusion of Enlightenment thought and questioned established traditions in all areas of life often preceded revolutions and rebellions against existing governments.

• Nationalism also became a major force shaping the historical development of states and empires.

• Enlightenment ideas and religious ideals influenced various reform movements. These reform movements contributed to the expansion of rights, as seen in expanded suffrage, the abolition of slavery, and the end of serfdom.

• Demands for women's suffrage and an emergent feminism challenged political and gender hierarchies.

Maps & Visuals 5.1

Additional Resources 5.1