<P> The Age of Enlightenment was preceded by and closely associated with the scientific revolution . Earlier philosophers whose work influenced the Enlightenment included Francis Bacon , René Descartes , John Locke and Baruch Spinoza . The major figures of the Enlightenment included Cesare Beccaria , Voltaire , Denis Diderot , Jean - Jacques Rousseau , David Hume , Adam Smith and Immanuel Kant . Some European rulers , including Catherine II of Russia , Joseph II of Austria and Frederick II of Prussia , tried to apply Enlightenment thought on religious and political tolerance , which became known as enlightened absolutism . Benjamin Franklin visited Europe repeatedly and contributed actively to the scientific and political debates there and brought the newest ideas back to Philadelphia . Thomas Jefferson closely followed European ideas and later incorporated some of the ideals of the Enlightenment into the Declaration of Independence ( 1776 ) . One of his peers , James Madison , incorporated these ideals into the United States Constitution during its framing in 1787 . </P>
what were two american documents created based on enlightenment
the Declaration of Independence the United States Constitution