Describe the causes of the enlightenment

Causes. On the surface, the most apparent cause of the Enlightenment was the Thirty Years' War. This horribly destructive war, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, compelled German writers to pen harsh criticisms regarding the ideas of nationalism and warfare

A huge proponent of the Enlightenment, Montesquieu suggested the theory of the separation of powers in order to obtain a political system of checks and balances, promoting order and equality. Principles of the Enlightenment also featured heavily in the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence

An eighteenth century intellectual movement whose three central concepts were the use of reason, the scientific method, and progress. Enlightenment thinkers believed they could help create better societies and better people