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When
historians discuss the “Enlightenment,” they are usually referring to 18th-century
Europe (France and England in particular), although other parts of the world
(including the U.S.) are often included as well. The Enlightenment was a
period of intellectual ferment that gave rise to a range of new theories
about society, government, philosophy, economics, and religion. The period
produced more than just abstract theorizing, however: it offered a whole new
way of conceptualizing the world and one’s place in it. In many ways, this
change in perception marked the beginning of the modern era, as institutions
and traditions of the past began to shift—and even crumble—in the face of new
ideas and approaches.
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