[caption id=“attachment_9371” align=“alignleft” width=“299”]Display at West Point, NY consisting of thirteen links of The Great Chain[/caption] A long chain is stretched across the Hudson river to prevent the British fleet from advancing there (Apr 30), France declares war on the Kingdom of Great Britain (Jul 10), the Continental Congress passes the first budget of the United States (Sep 19), James Cook becomes the first European to land on Maui (Nov 26), the American Revolutionary War goes on - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_8860” align=“alignleft” width=“381”]Astley’s Amphitheatre in 1773[/caption] In the year 1768, the first modern circus is staged in London (Jan 9), a peace agreement is made between Britain and several native American leaders of both the northern and southern American lands (Mar 17), the New York Chamber of Commerce is founded (Apr 5), the island of Corsica is ceded to France (May 15), James Cook departs from Plymouth, England on his first voyage of discovery (Aug 8), the Russo-Turkish war begins (Oct 4), New Smyrna in Florida is founded as the largest attempt at colonization by the British in the New World – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1709, the Great Frost of 1709 in Western Europe begins, killing thousands (Jan 6), the production of hard-paste porcelain in Europe starts (Mar 28), Peter the Great defeats the Swedish forces at Poltava, and thus ends Sweden’s role as a major power in Europe (Jun 27), the city of Chihuahua in Mexico is founded (Oct 12), ten ships leave London for the New York Colony (Dec 25) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Great Britain acknowledges the independence of the United States of America (Feb 3), A Great Jubilee Day, celebrating the end of the American Revolution, is held in Trumbull, Connecticut (May 26), the eruption of Laki in Iceland kills tens of thousands and causes widespread famine in Europe (Jun 8), the Paris Peace Treaty ends formally the American Revolutionary War; with independence secured, this is the beginning of the Old West (Sep 3), the last British troops leave New York City, and George Washington triumphantly returns (Nov 25) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1752, the first hospital in the United States opens its doors in Pennsylvania (Feb 10), the British Empire start using the Gregorian calendar, thus Sep 2 becomes Sep 13 (Sep 2), British Canadian colonists in Nova Scotia make a peace treaty with the Mi’kmaq tribe (Nov 22), the first Shakespeare play in America takes place in Williamsburg, Virginia (Dec 5), the first public zoo in the world, Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, is founded - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1725, Catherine I becomes Empress of Russia on the death of Peter the Great,(Feb 8), the Treaty of Hanover: George I, growing concerned about a potential conflict with Spain, signed the agreement linking France, Prussia, and the Netherlands together in opposition to Spain (Sep 16), Freemasonry starts being established in France as an import from England - and all these fine people were born: 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx Heikki Heikinpoika Lemvik** father of Mikko Heikinpoika Mustalampi - Lempäälä, Sweden-Finland (1805/79-80) 1725-xxxx Heikki Tuomaanpoika Messo** Finnish farmer/father of Antti Heikinpoika Vaittinen - Viipuri, Russian Empire (1764/34-43) aby 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx John Morton* farmer/surveyor/signer of Declaration of Independence/ Finnish background through Martti Marttinen - Ridley Township, Delaware County, British America (1777/c. Continue reading

In the year 1732, Russia and Persia sign a peace treaty - Russia will no longer establish claims over Persian territories (Jan 21), James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia (Jun 9), the Russian geodesist Mikhail Gvozdev makes the first documented crossing of the Bering Strait (Aug), Russia approves the second Kamchatka expedition of Danish-born cartographer Vitus Bering, and the Admiralty orders him to sail east and try to claim uncharted lands in North America (Oct 16), the original Theatre Royal, Covent Garden is opened in London (Dec 7) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1769, James Watt receives his first patent for an early version of his revolutionary Watt steam engine (Jan 5), James Cook arrives in Tahiti (Apr 13), France conquers Corsica (May 9), the settlement of California begins with the Spanish missions along the coast (May 14), Daniel Boone first begins to explore modern-day Kentucky (Jun 7), spinning frame is patented in England, able to weave fabric mechanically (Jul 3), massive droughts in Bengal (Sep), James Cook lands in New Zealand (Oct 7) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1774, the volunteer fire company of Trenton, New Jersey - possibly the oldest in the U.S. - is founded (Feb 7), the first Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia (Sep 5), compulsory education for children aged 6-12 is set by Archduchess Maria Theresa, the ruler of Austria, Hungary and Croatia (Dec 6), Captain James Cook discovers several islands, German cobbler Johann Birkenstock creates the first Birkenstock sandals - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1799, a ten percent income tax is introduced in Great Britain to raise funds for its war effort in the Napoleonic Wars (Jan 9), the Rosetta Stone is found at the port city of Rosetta by the river Nile in Egypt (Jul 15), HMS Lutine sinks off the Dutch coast, the bell of which is now used for ceremonial purposes in London (Oct 9), France adopts the meter as its official unit of length (Dec 10) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1702, France starts building Fort Louis de la Mobile which becomes for a while the capital of French Louisiana (Jan 12), Anne Stuart becomes Queen Anne of England, Scotland and Ireland (Mar 8.o.s.), the first regular English-language national newspaper is published (Mar 11.o.s.), Charles XII of Sweden conquers Warsaw (May), Spanish and Apalachee Indian forces attack Creek Indians - supported by English traders - in what is now Georgia, but they fail (Oct), in Queen Anne’s War in North America, English forces besiege St. Continue reading

In the year 1718, English pirate Blackbeard blockades the port of Charleston, South Carolina (May), New Orleans is founded (May 7), Voltaire’s first play, Oedipus, premiers in Paris (Nov 11), Blackbeard is killed in action in North Carolina (Nov 22), King Charles XII of Sweden dies (Nov 30) whereupon Ulrika Eleonora proclaims herself Queen regnant of Sweden (Dec 5) - and all these fine people were born: 1718-0213 George Brydges Rodney (B) nobleman/naval officer - Walton-on-Thames, Sussex, England (1792/74) 1718-0226 Johan Ernst Gunnerus* bishop/botanist - Christiania, Norway (1773/55) 1718-0301 1718-0310 1718-0331 Mariana Victoria of Spain* Queen of Portugal as the wife of King Joseph I - Madrid, Spanish Empire (1781/62) 1718-0407 Hugh Blair* minister/ author/rhetorician - Edinburgh, Scotland (1800/82) 1718-0420 David Brainerd* Presbyterian minister/missionary to Native Americans - Haddam, Connecticut Colony (1747/29) 1718-0424 Nathaniel Hone the elder* portrait and miniature painter - Dublin, Ireland (1784/66) 1718-0427 Thomas Lewis* pioneer of early Virginia - County Donegal, Ireland (1790/71) 1718-0531 Jacob Christian Schäffer* dean/botanist/inventor - Querfurt, Germany (1790/71) 1718-0601 Anders Odel* (b Odhelius) industrialist/painter/composer - Skövde, Sweden (1773/55) 1718-0605 Thomas Chippendale* furniture maker - Otley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England (1779) 1718-0731 John Canton* physicist - Stroud, Gloucestershire, England (1772/53) 1718-1002 Louisa Catharina Harkort* ironmaster/entrepreneur - Hattingen, Germany (1795/76) 1718-1101 1718-1110 1718-1113 John Montagu* 4th Earl of Sandwich/military leader/statesman after whom sandwich is named - Chiswick, Middlesex, England (1792/73) 1718-1120 1718-1128 Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht* poet/feminist/salon hostess - Stockholm, Sweden (1763/44) 1718-1130 1718-0 1718-0 1718-0 Updated 2025-0420 Helsinki Search for more years here

In the year 1721, Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain (Apr 4), the Treaty of Nystad is signed, ending the Great Northern War (Sep 10), Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russians whereby the Tsardom of Russia ceases to exist (Nov 2), regular mail service between London and New England is established – and all these fine people were born: 1721-xxxx José Eusebio de Llano Zapata* scholar/writer/scientist - Lima, Peru (1780/c. Continue reading

In the year 1748, Afghan leader Ahmad Shah Durrani captures Lahore (Jan 12), a fire in the city of London causes massive damages (Mar 28), Britain obtains Madras in India from France in exchange for the fortress of Louisbourg in Canada (Oct 18), the ruins of Pompeii are rediscovered after the first discovery in 1599, construction of the Sveaborg fortress begins in order to defend Finland against Russian attacks – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3560” align=“alignleft” width=“280”]The Betsy Ross Flag from 1776[/caption] In the year 1776, Edward Gibbon publishes the first volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire(Feb 17), Illuminati is founded in Ingolstadt, Bavaria (May 1), Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to the British rule (May 4), the Continental Congress ratifies the declaration by the United States of its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (Jul 4), American troops destroy pro-Britain Cherokee towns (Sep 1), the Continental Congress officially names its union of states the United States (Sep 9), the Continental Army defeats the British on Manhattan (Sep 16), the Bolshoi Theater in Russia hosts its first annual opera season (Sep 24), the American Revolution goes on – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm, Sweden. Colloquially known as Dramaten In the year 1788, the first edition of The Times is published in London (Jan 1), 11 ships Sydney Cove with the aim of establishing there a British prison colony, the first permanent European settlement on the continent - hence celebrated as Australia Day (Jan 26), Sydney is named and founded (Feb 7), the first recorded riot in America takes place, due to grave robbers in Manhattan (Apr 13), The Royal Dramatic Theater is founded in Stockholm (May 10), Mozart completes his 41st and last symphony (Aug 10), seven new U. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_2282” align=“alignright” width=“387”]The British Museum in the 21st Century[/caption] In the year 1759, the first American life insurance company is incorporated in Philadelphia (Jan 11), the British Museum opens at Montagu House in London, after 6 years of development (Jan 15), a big fire breaks out at Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden (Jul 19), a brewery is leased by Arthur Guinness in St. James’s Gate in Dublin, for the brewing of Guinness (Dec 31) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1739, Nader Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city, stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne, there among the famous Koh-i-Noor (Mar 20), the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is founded in Stockholm, Sweden (Jun 2), Great Britain declares war on Spain, part of the reason being to provide for better trading opportunities in the Caribbean for Britain, and part being able to continue selling slaves in Spanish America (Oct 23) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_1590” align=“alignleft” width=“392”]The White House South Facade[/caption] In the year 1800, Alessandro Volta describes his new invention, the chemical battery (Mar 20), Napoleon and his French army begin crossing the Alps (May 15), smallpox vaccine, in existence since 1796, is first used in North America (Jun 2), assent is given to unite the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland (Aug 1), Spain returns Louisiana to France in exchange for the Tuscany area of Italy (Oct 1), John Adams becomes the first U. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_1522” align=“alignright” width=“322”]A modern set of Faber-Castell color pencils[/caption] In the year 1761, the British capture Pondicherry in India from the French (Jan 16), a transit of Venus occurs, and is observed from 120 locations around the Earth (Jun 6), the slave trade to and within Portugal is forbidden (Sep 19), in the Seven Years' War, the Russians take after four months of siege the Prussian fortress of Kolberg (only to lose it later) (Dec 16), the tune to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is published in France, Faber-Castell Company is founded in Nuremburg, Germany - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading