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Period: to
18th century
The ten most important events in the 18th century, and the 5 most important people of the same century. -
Act of succession established in England
The act stated that the first born son of the monarch would take over the throne after the death of his parent. If there was not a male descendant, then the first born daughter would take the throne. -
Establishment of St. Petersburg
Peter I of Russia (Peter the Great) established the capital city of St. Petersburg. -
Fredrick II Born
Fredrick II of Prussia was also known as Fredrick the Great. He was the ruler of Prussia from 1740-1786. He was of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Fredrick sacrificed his own intrests for his country, and thought that the state should come first. Fredrick increased his power by partitioning Poland and also increased Prussian prestige. -
Peace of Utrecht
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties that helped end the War of Spanish Succession. The treaty was signed in the Dutch city of Utrecht. It was between many European countries including England, France, Spain, and the Nehterlands. The treaty reestablished the balance of power in Europe. -
Louis XIV dies
When Louis XIV of France died, he left France with a huge debt. He died of gangrene. -
Maria Theresa Born
Maria Theresa what the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1740 until her death in 1780. She was the only femal ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, and birthed two emporer sons and one queen daughter. She had no formal training, and she was a strong advocate of unity within her lands. She also believed in Divine Right. -
Catherine the Great Born
Catherine II was the leader of Russia from 1762-1796. She was of the Romanov dynasty and was of the Russian Orthodox religion. She cared for her people and tried bringing more revenue into Russia. She also expanded her epire from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Catherine organized and controlled everything herself. -
George III born
George III became king of England in 1760, and ruled until 1820. He led England through the American War of Independence, which the English lost. -
Antoine Lavoisier born
Lavoisier was a French chemist who lived from 1743 to 1794. He wrote Elementary Treatise on Chemistry where he explained the constituent gasses of air, and stated that combustion could not take place without oxygen. He also stated that matter cannot be created nor destroyed in chemical reactions. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau published the Social Contract
The book talked about how to set up a political community that could face the problems of commercial society. -
Treaty of Paris signed
The Treaty of Paris was a peace treaty between the English and French. it ended the Seven Years War, also called the French and Indian War. -
Pugachev's Rebellion
A series of rebellions that took place after Catherine II gained power in Russia. the rebellion lasted between 1773 and 1775. -
End of the Enlightenment
The last Enlightenment thinker alive, Denis Diderot, a French writer and philosopher, died in 1784. This marked the end of the Enlightenment. Diderot was best known as the chief editor of the Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia was a reference with articles by French thinkers about politics, science, religion, and the arts. -
French Revolution
(1789-1799) A social and political upheval in French History, it brought an end to absolutism. Beliefs in a hierachy changed with the Enlightenment into beliefs of citizenship and inalienable rights. The result was the replacement of the government with a radical democratic republic. -
Edward Jenner administers first smallpox vaccine
Smallpox killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans each year during the 18th century, and Jenner discovered a way that could prevent the smallpox. He developed a vaccine that he tested that immunized people from the virus.
