During the Dark Ages the French church and government believed that God wanted the world to remain exactly as it was. Enlightenment impacted society by introducing the idea that mankind could use reason to discover the laws of the world and the rights of mankind. The Enlightenment Whap Heritage Without the printing press the age of Enlightenment would have been a much different time. . The Founding Fathers established the United States Constitution upon Lockes natural rights expanding them to include the pursuit of happiness. The growth of cities and towns. About the Age of Enlightenment. Other Enlightenment thinkers like Thomas Paine made these rights more and more egalitarian. The approval of church leaders. The high percentage of colonists who could read and write. Their ideas helped to inspire some revolutions that overthrew traditional monarchies including the American and French Revolutions. These id...