The Enlightenment has been developed for senior secondary students of History and is part of the Nelson Modern History series. Each book in the series is based on the understanding that History is an interpretive study of the past by which students also come to better appreciate the making of the modern world. Developing understandings of the past and present in senior History extends on the skills learnt in earlier years. Students will use historical skills, including research, evaluation, synthesis, analysis and communication. They will rely on their knowledge of the historical concepts such as evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, significance, empathy, perspectives and contestability, to understand and interpret societies from the past. The activities and tasks have been written to ensure that students develop the skills and attributes required for senior History subjects. The Enlightenment, is an intellectual and cultural movement in 18th century Europe and North America. This title introduces students to the key ideas of the Enlightenment, such as rationality and natural rights, and figures and groups that encouraged the development and spread of these ideas. The text uses a wide range visual and text sources, as well as diagrams, to outline the emergence of the Enlightenment in France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany. Having identified the nature of Enlightenment ideas the author then explores it's political implications in France and Britain's American colonies, it's impact on Russia and its continuing relevance in the modern world. Series Editor, Tony Taylor is the past Director of the National Inquiry into the Teaching and Learning of History and the National Centre for History Education. From 2006 to 2010 he was a senior consultant to federal government bodies responsible for the development of Australian Curriculum History, while researching and publishing extensively in various topics in education and History.