In the year 1645, fearing the spread of the Black Death, Edinburgh Town Council prohibits all gatherings except weddings and funerals (Mar 31), Oliver Cromwell is confirmed as the Lieutenant-General of the Cavalry during the ongoing English Civil War (Jun 10), Jeanne Mance founds the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, the first hospital in North America (Oct 8), the English Civil War (1642–1651) goes on, wallpaper begins to replace tapestries - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3112” align=“alignleft” width=“382”]Wheelchair built by Stefan Farfler in 1655[/caption] In the year 1650, Oliver Cromwell defeats a Scottish army in the Third English Civil War, (Sep 3), Einkommende Zeitungen becomes the first newspaper published in Germany, Ethiopia deports Portuguese diplomats and missionaries, three-wheeled wheelchairs are invented in the German city of Nuremberg, cafés begin to become popular in Europe - and all these fine people were born: 1650-xxxx Rowland Ellis* Welsh Quaker leader/emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1686 - Wales (1731/c. Continue reading

In the year 1652, Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck founds Cape Town in South Africa (Apr 6), Rhode Island passes the first law in North America, making slavery illegal (May 18), George Fox preaches to a large crowd on Firbank Fell in England, leading to the establishment of the Religious Society of Friends, a.k.a. Quakers (Jun 13), disastrous fire destroys almost everything in Oulu, Finland (Oct 2), John Milton loses the last of his eyesight, the lymphatic system is first described by both Olaus Rudbeck in Sweden and Thomas Bartholin in Denmark - and all these fine people were born: 1652-0107 Pavao Ritter Vitezović* polymath/historian/political theorist - Senj, Croatian Military Frontier, Habsburg Monarchy (1713/61) Continue reading

Magdeburg hemispheres In the year 1654, England and Sweden sign a commercial treaty (Apr 11), Oliver Cromwell creates a union between England and Scotland (Apr 12), the German scientist Otto von Guericke demonstrates the power of atmospheric pressure and the effectiveness of his vacuum pump, using the Magdeburg hemispheres, before he Imperial Diet in Regensburg (May 8), 23 Sephardic Jews arrive as refugees from Brazil in New Amsterdam and settling there, form a nucleus of what will be the second largest urban Jewish community in the history of New York City (Aug 22), construction of the Skokloster Castle in Sweden begins - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Saul Attacking David by Guercino (1591-1666) In the year 1646, Roger Scott is tried in Massachusetts for sleeping in church (Feb 28), King Charles I of England surrenders his forces to a Scottish army in Nottinghamshire (May 5), France takes Dunkirk from the Spanish Netherlands for the first time (Oct 10), global temperatures begin to decline, as part of the Little Ice Age (Dec 21), Scottish Covenanters hand over King Charles to the Parliamentarians (Dec 23), the Italian painter Guercino paints Saul Attacking David - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1657, the Jews of New Amsterdam in New Netherlands are granted freedom of religion, as full citizens (Apr 20), Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell confirms his refusal of the crown of England (May 8), the first eleven Quaker settlers arrive in New Amsterdam, and are allowed to practice their faith (Jun 1), England’s first chocolate house is opened in London, tea is introduced to England, and coffee to France - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Samuel Pepys' bookplate. The Latin translates as “Mind Makes the Man” In the year 1660, Samuel Pepys begins his diary, one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration Period (Jan 1), in the Treaty of Oliva, peace is made between Sweden and major European powers (May 5), the first actress appears on the professional stage in England in a non-singing role (Dec 8), the Royal African Company is founded by James II of England, in order to trade slaves along the coast of West Africa - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Statue of Sir Walter Ralegh (1554-1618) in Greenwich, London. Photo credit Loco Steve In the year 1618, Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary emotion (Mar 8), the Defenestration of Prague influences significantly the history of Europe and leads eventually to the Thirty Years' War, polarizing Europe on religious grounds (May 23), the English playwright Ben Jonson sets out on his walk from London to Edinburgh, Scotland – an unheard undertaking at the time (Jul 8), **Sir Walter Raleigh is beheaded in London for allegedly conspiring against the King in 1603 **(Oct 29), the Thirty Year’s War goes on – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1663, Emperor Reigen ascends to the throne of Japan (Mar 5), King Charles II of England issues the Charter of Carolina, establishing the Province of Carolina (Mar 24), the English Parliament passes the second Navigation Act, requiring that all goods bound for the American colonies have to be sent in English ships from English ports (Jul 27), severe frost hits England (Aug 28), the English polymath Robert Hooke discovers that cork is made of “tiny little rooms”, which he first calls “cells” - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Woolsthorp Manor, the birthplace and family home of Isaac Newton and where he stayed during the Great Plague (1665-1667) In the year 1665, Bucharest allows Jews to settle in the city, in exchange for an annual tax (Mar 16), as the Great Plague forces the closure of the University of Cambridge where Isaac Newton studies, he retires to his home for safety, and will there make many of his groundbreaking discoveries (Aug), the first play in English in the American colonies is performed in Pungoteague, Virginia (Aug 27), Robert Hooke’s Micrographia is published in London, first applying the term ‘cell’ to plant tissue (Sep) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Netherland Monument at an entrance to Battery Park. Photo credit: Tdorante10 In the year 1626, Sweden defeats a Polish army in Wallhof, Latvia (Jan 7), the director of New Netherland, Peter Minuit, buys Manhattan from a Native American tribe for some 60 guilders worth of trade goods (May 24), the new St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican is consecrated (Nov 18), Pasha Muhammad ibn Farukh, tyrannical Governor of Jerusalem, is forced out (Dec 1), the Würzburg and Bamberg witch trials, leading to the mass executions of hundreds of people, begin - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Dutch Brazil, a.k.a. New Holland 1630-1654 In the year 1661, Russia cedes to Sweden all captured territories in the Treaty of Cardis (Jul 1), Portugal and the Dutch Republic sign a treaty whereby New Holland (a.k.a. Dutch Brazil) is ceded to Portugal (Aug 6), work begins on Versailles, John Evelyn publishes the pamphlet Fumifugium which becomes one of the earliest descriptions of air pollution - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Bay of New York Taken from Brooklyn Heights, a painting by William Guy Wall in the 1820s. Breuckelen was but one of the six Dutch villages in today’s Brooklyn, situated more or less where Brooklyn Heights is located. In the year 1667, the first theater in Scandinavia opens in Stockholm, Sweden (Feb), the blind, impoverished John Milton seals a contract for publication of Paradise Lost (Apr 27), the first human blood transfusion is administered successfully, from sheep to human, but the patient dies, and the doctor is accused of murder (Jun 15), Milton’s Paradise Lost is published, with great success (Oct), Brooklyn is chartered under the name Breuckelen by the Governor of New Netherland (Oct 18), Robert Hooke demonstrates that the alteration of the blood in the lungs is essential for respiration - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1670, the Hudson’s Bay Company - a fur trading business for much of its existence - is founded in England, to operate in Canada (May 2), Spain recognizes Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as English possessions (Jul 18), Spanish frigates attack Charleston, South Carolina (Aug), Louis XIV authorizes the construction of Les Invalides in Paris as a home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers (Nov 24), the first French settlers arrive in what is to become Senegal, Stenka Rasin begins the Cossack rebellion in Ukraine - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1671, intoxicated Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, makes a fruitless attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England and Scotlandfrom the Tower of London (May 9), the Ottoman Empire declares war on Poland (Jun 22), the world’s first school of architecture is founded in Paris (Dec 30), the first Jewish families settle in Berlin, moving from Vienna at the invitation of the Elector of Brandenburg - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1674, the Westminster Treaty is signed between England and the Dutch Republic (Feb 19), the Dutch Republic cedes its colony of New Netherland to England, including the capital New Orange which is returned to its English name of New York (Nov 10), Father Jacques Marquette founds a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan, which will gradually grow into the city of Chicago (Dec 4) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1648, the Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnyov embarks on the first recorded voyage through the Bering Strait, between Asia and North America (Jun), the Treaty of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years' War (Oct 24), France and the Netherlands agree to divide the Caribbean island of Saint Martin between them (Nov 11), rabbi Sabbatai Zevi declares himself the Messiah at Smyrna, Rembrandt paints Beggars at the Door - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1658, the Treaty of Roskilde brings peace between Sweden and Denmark (Feb 26), a Spanish invasion force fails to recapture Jamaica from the English (Jun 27), after Shah Jahan completes the Taj Mahal, his son deposes him as ruler of the Mughal Empire (Jul 31), Sweden attacks Denmark (Aug 7), Oliver Cromwell dies, and his son becomes Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland (Sep 3), the Dutch Navy forces the Swedish Navy to leave the coasts of Denmark (Oct 29), Dutch Jan Swammerdam becomes the first to observe and describe red blood cells - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1668, the Triple Alliance of 1668 between England, Sweden and the Dutch Republic is formed (Jan), the British East India Company takes over Bombay (Sep 21), the first national bank in Europe, the Swedish Riksbank, is founded, the first volume of Jean de La Fontaine’s collected Fables is published - and all these fine people were born: 1668-xxxx Thomas Coram* sea captain/philanthropist - Lyme Regis, Dorset, England (1751/c. Continue reading

The Pilgrims and members of the Wampanoag tribe (who ate at the first Thanksgiving) ate pumpkins and other squashes that are native to New England. In the year 1619, the first African slaves are brought to New England (though actually they were not the first ones) (August), 38 colonists from England land in Berkeley Hundred, Virginia and give thanks to God (considered by some to be the first Thanksgiving in the Americas) (Dec 4), Kajaani Castle in central Finland is built, the Danish–Dutch whaling settlement of Smeerenburg is founded in Svalbard, a Spanish expedition sails around Tierra del Fuego, mapping the coast of South America - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading