A core ideal of the Enlightenment that significantly influenced revolutionary thought was the concept of natural rights, articulated by philosophers such as John Locke. This idea proposed that individuals possess inherent rights, including life, liberty, and property, which governments must protect. Enlightenment thinkers challenged traditional authority, promoting the notion that legitimate government arises from the consent of the governed. These principles inspired revolutions, notably the American Revolution and French Revolution, as people sought to implement democratic ideals and reject tyranny, fundamentally shaping modern political thought and constitutional law.