The Enlightenment was an academic and philosophical movement that predominated among European residents in the during the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. It was a period of great scientific developments and political reforms, as major representatives from the movement prioritized "reasoning" over other forms of moral law (The Catholic Church).
This movement was the catalyst for what would become the French Revolution, as people would turn against the crown due to their evident misgovernment and favoritism for nobility.