 In the 1700s, Paris became the cultural and intellectual capital of Europe where people from all over the world came to study.  People began to gather and discuss the new enlightenment ideas socially. These new meeting places were called salons.

 It was in one of these Paris salons, that a man named Diderot created a large set of books that compiled the knowledge of all the scholars and philosophers meeting.  The encyclopedia helped to further spread enlightenment ideas

BAROQUE (OLD)NEOCLASSICAL (NEW)  Grand and ornate style that was seen in the elaborate palaces of kings across Europe.  Simple and elegant style that borrowed from the ideas of Classical Greece and Rome.

 There was a movement from the dramatic symphonies of Johan Sebastian Bach and Friedrich Handel to lighter more elegant compositions by composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

 Frederick the Great of Prussia, Joseph II of Austria, and Catherine the Great of Russia embraced the enlightenment ideas and styles.  As a result, their countries prospered greatly in this period.