Final answer:
The Enlightenment highlighted social reform and the critique of traditional powers, leading to an increased focus on individual rights and liberties. Mary Wollstonecraft and other thinkers initiated a progressive view on women's roles, and philosophers like John Locke and Rousseau laid the foundation for modern democracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Enlightenment, profound shifts in social awareness were influenced by the work of diligent writers and philosophers. One significant social issue that came into focus was the critique of social ills and a call for social reform. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, Kant, and Hobbes wrote on various topics, pressing for societal evolution. The issue of women's rights was bolstered by Mary Wollstonecraft, who is recognized as an early feminist thinker, contributing to a broader understanding of women's conditions and roles in society.
Moreover, Enlightenment philosophies challenged established structures, including the nobility, the Catholic Church, and monarchical power. Rousseau's 'The Social Contract' contested the divine right of kings, asserting that sovereignty lies with the people's general will. These ideas initiated political transformations that eventually sparked uprisings, leading to revolutions in America, France, and Haiti. Political theorists advanced social contract theory to advocate for protection of individual rights and freedoms, which would gradually evolve into the modern democratic principles cherished today.
The Enlightenment period was thus marked by a growing emphasis on natural rights, equality under the law, and the importance of the individual. Although initially, these Enlightenment ideals were not universally applied to all demographics, they laid the groundwork for later movements seeking equality and human rights across race, gender, and class divides.