The Age of Enlightenment, spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, significantly advanced personal freedoms and individual rights. Intellectuals like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged traditional authority and emphasized reason, science, and individual liberty. This movement encouraged the belief in human rights, influencing democratic ideals and constitutions worldwide. The Enlightenment laid the foundation for modern political and social thought, promoting ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. It inspired revolutions, such as the American and French Revolutions, advocating government accountability and the importance of individual freedom over oppressive regimes, forever altering societal structures.