The main focus of the Age of Enlightenment, which spanned the late 17th to the 18th century, was the promotion of reason, science, and individual rights. Intellectuals sought to challenge traditional authority, advocating for liberty, progress, and the application of rational thought to every aspect of human existence, including politics, ethics, and religion. Thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau emphasized the value of empirical evidence and questioned established institutions like monarchy and the church. This movement laid the groundwork for modern democracy and significantly influenced revolutionary movements worldwide, inspiring changes in governance and the concept of human rights.