Scotland makes a disastrous attempt to establish a colony in Darien, on the isthmus of Panama

In the years after the battle of the Boyne, Catholic ownership of land in Ireland is reduced to just 14% of the total

The Dalai Lama in Lhasa accepts Chinese imperial protection, which lasts until 1911

Georgia is granted to a group of British philanthropists, to give a new start in life to debtors

A French official travels down the Ohio valley, placing markers to claim it for France

122 people die after being locked overnight in a small room in Calcutta, in an incident that becomes known as the Black Hole of Calcutta

Robert Clive defeats the nawab of Bengal at the battle of Plassey, and places his own man on the throne

A French expedition from St Malo, founding a colony on East Falkland, name the islands Les Îsles Malouines

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

The Spanish, now in sole occupation of the Falkland Islands, call them Las Islas Malvinas

Pioneer Daniel Boone and other backwoodsmen cut the road west that will bring settlers to Kentucky

Joseph Banks tells a committee of the House of Commons that the east coast of Australia is suitable for the transportation of convicted felons

The empress Catherine the Great annexes the Crimean peninsula, giving Russia a presence in the Black Sea

The Continental Congress passes the Northwest Ordinance, a plan for the establishment of new states north and west of the Ohio river

The First Fleet (eleven ships carrying about 750 convicts) leaves Portsmouth for Australia

After a journey of eight months from England the First Fleet reaches Australia, anchoring in Botany Bay

Arthur Phillip, selecting a suitable coastal site for the first penal colony in Australia, names the place Sydney Cove

A second fleet arrives in Sydney, bringing more convicts and a regiment, the New South Wales Corps, to keep order

An Indian raid on an American military camp beside the Maumee river leaves more than 600 US soldiers dead

Russia and Prussia agree on a second partition of Poland

With the Dutch entering the war on the side of the French, Britain seizes their valuable Cape colony in South Africa

Poland's neighbours – Russia, Prussia and Austria – are all on hand for the final partition of the kingdom

George Washington selects the Cherokee Indians for an experiment in adaptation to 'civilization'

Napoleon achieves the peace of Campo Formio, by which Austria cedes the Austrian Netherlands and northern Italy to France