The Enlightenment Ideals Of The 17th And 18th Century

The 17th and 18th centuries are commonly referred to as the Enlightenment. The ideals of the period are based upon reason. People began thinking for themselves rather than the government or the church think for you. People began questioning, and not relying on fear, superstition, government or faith to guide them. Instead people used reason and logic to search for truth. Searching for the truth leaves out faith and science becomes the new focus. The scientific method becomes the standard when theorizing, researching, and historical writing.

Prior to the Enlightenment, histories were written with regard to the church. Ernst Breisach writes, “Creation, Christ’s life and death, and the expectation of the Last Judgment – were used less