Final answer:
Denis Diderot, Voltaire, and Montesquieu were key figures of the French Enlightenment who influenced democratic thought and the structure of modern governments with ideas such as the separation of powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Denis Diderot, Voltaire, and Montesquieu were all prominent figures from France during the Enlightenment period. These philosophes had profound impacts on democratic thoughts and were fundamental in challenging the traditional absolute monarchies, such as the Bourbon family of France. Montesquieu proposed the idea of separation of powers within government, a concept that deeply influenced the founders of the American government. Voltaire advocated for religious tolerance, freedom of speech, and the power of reason, while Denis Diderot contributed to spreading Enlightenment ideas through his works.
The Enlightenment period marked a time in the mid-18th century when European thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot, and Montesquieu embraced the light of science and reason to critique and rethink traditional beliefs. Their influence was not confined to France but extended across the Atlantic to aid in forming the political philosophy of the new United States, with its separation of powers and emphasis on individual rights. French Enlightenment ideals indeed form a cornerstone of modern democratic principles.