Enlightenment was the act of the European intellectual movement emphasizing on reasoning and individualism rather than tradition. This was influenced by the philosophers of that time around late 17th and 18th centuries.
It threatened the English Empire as people became more smarter and aware of their rights and they began reasoning with the government rather than suffering like before that's why this time period is popularly known as the Age of reasoning. This also led to American revolution and American independence.
