Enlightenment was huge. And it gave us our current scientific methods, got rid of alchemy finally, and of course pushed for saner government. This is from wiki:

Characterized by an emphasis on reason, empirical evidence, and the scientific method, the Enlightenment promoted ideals of individual liberty, religious tolerance, progress, and natural rights . Its thinkers advocated for constitutional government, the separation of church and state , and the application of rational principles to social and political reform.[