What major historical event is often associated with the beginning of the Enlightenment?

The major historical event often associated with the beginning of the Enlightenment is the Scientific Revolution. This period, spanning primarily the 16th to 18th centuries, marked a significant shift in the way people understood the natural world. Thinkers such as Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton challenged traditional views held by the Church and ancient scholars, laying the groundwork for a new approach based on observation, experimentation, and reason.

The Enlightenment drew heavily from the principles established during the Scientific Revolution, with Enlightenment philosophers applying these ideas to society, politics, and human behavior. They were inspired by the questioning of established authorities and the pursuit of knowledge, leading to new ideas about governance, individual rights, and human progress. This intellectual movement emphasized reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, which would ultimately influence revolutions and changes in government structures in the years that followed.

The other historical events listed, such as the Industrial Revolution, French Revolution, and American Revolution, each played critical roles in shaping modern history, but they occurred later and were influenced by the ideas that emerged during the Enlightenment period itself. Therefore, the Scientific Revolution is regarded as the catalyst for Enlightenment thinking.