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......3. How did the French Enlightenment lead to changes in the religious and political realities of European life?

As the term denotes, the French Enlightenment took Europe from the dark ages into an age of change and evolution. A new breed of thinkers, philosophers, scientists and even politicians were born that promoted widespread re-evaluation of what has been or what has been used to. On the religious front, the Enlightenment enabled people to start questioning the teachings of the church especially when this is backed by science. The thinkers of the Enlightenment encouraged people to use science to explore nature and to question what they had always accepted without questioning. The Enlightenment encouraged people to participate in government and to rethink old ideas like feudalism and primogeniture. (Dowling, 2002)
This period of history can also be seen as a catalyst not only for basic changes but dominant ones. The feudal and monarchial system came into scrutiny because people started rejecting the idea of absolute power. History also shows the Enlightenment did not only stop at the European continent but was also instrumental in the American Revolution. It was seen by many as a huge achievement for the Enlightenment. Two hundred

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