The Enlightenment was a period of time from about 1680-1820 near the start of the American revolution when vast intellectual advances were made.The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, however, opened a path for independent thought, and the field of mathematics, astronomy, physics, politics, economics, philosophy, and medecine were hugely updated and expanded.
from http://apushcanvas.pbworks.com/w/page/59301191/Toward%20Independence