The Enlightenment was an 18th century intellectual movement that promoted reason, science, and intellectual interchange over intolerance and religious abuses. Originating in late 17th century Europe, particularly France, it spread to other major cities and influenced philosophy, politics, and society. Enlightenment thinkers like Locke, Spinoza, and Newton applied rationality to understand nature and criticized the abuse of power, with their ideas later influencing revolutions and constitutions around the world.