istoryworld
All Events
A Society of Gentlemen in Scotland begins publication of the immensely successful Encyclopaedia Britannica
A border incident at Balta, in the southern Ukraine, sparks a war between Russia and Turkey that will last six years
The Royal Academy is established in London, with Joshua Reynolds as its first president
Napoleon Bonaparte is born a French citizen in Ajaccio, in Corsica, the son of a local lawyer
Captain Cook's distinguished passengers, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, collect valuable specimens of Pacific flora
Franciscan missionary Junipero Serra begins work at San Diego de Cala, the first of his nine California missions
Captain Cook observes in Tahiti the transit of Venus, the primary purpose of his voyage to the Pacific
Captain Cook reaches New Zealand and sets off to chart its entire coastline
French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot successfully tests a steam wagon, probably the first working mechanical vehicle
Robert Mylne completes his new bridge at Blackfriars
Captain Cook reaches the mainland of Australia, at a place which he names Botany Bay, and continues up the eastern coast
The triangular trade, controlled from Liverpool, ships millions of Africans across the Atlantic as slaves
Walpole adds the Great North Bedchamber to Strawberry Hill.
British troops fire into an unruly crowd in Boston, Massachusetts, killing five
17-year-old Thomas Chatterton, later hailed as a significant poet, commits suicide in a London garret
In response to American protests, the British government removes the Townshend duties on all commodities with the exception of tea
King George III pays for the church on Kew Green to be greatly enlarged. It is expanded again in 1810 and further additions are made in later years.
27-year-old Thomas Jefferson begins constructing a mansion on a hilltop in Charlottesville, calling it Monticello ('little mountain')
English entrepreneur Richard Arkwright adds water power to spinning by means of the water frame
Richard Arkwright pioneers the factory environment with his cotton mill at Cromford in Derbyshire
Russia, Prussia and Austria agree a treaty enabling them to divide the spoils in the first partition of Poland
The first partition of Poland begins the process of Lithuania being progressively absorbed into Russia
Gustavus III achieves a coup d'état which brings executive power in Sweden back into royal hands
Captain Cook sets off, in HMS Resolution, on his second voyage to the southern hemisphere
Haydn's Farewell Symphony gives a subtle hint to his employer at Esterházy that it is time for the musicians to return home
