Final answer:
The Enlightenment had a profound impact on government thinking during the 18th century, advocating for natural rights and the need for government to protect those rights. Enlightenment thinkers questioned the relationship between people and the government, proposing that people had a right to change the government if it failed to meet their needs. These ideas influenced the French Revolution and the American Revolution, shaping the foundations of modern democracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Enlightenment, a philosophical movement in Europe during the 18th century, had a significant impact on government thinking during that time. Enlightenment thinkers, such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, questioned the relationship between people and the government. They advocated for natural rights, the need for government to protect those rights, and the idea that people had a right to change the government if it failed to meet their needs. These ideas influenced the French Revolution and the American Revolution, shaping the foundations of modern democracy.