FOOTNOTES:[47]Two years later Perceval was premier (1809-1812) and he was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons, May 11, 1812.—Ed.
[47]Two years later Perceval was premier (1809-1812) and he was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons, May 11, 1812.—Ed.
[47]Two years later Perceval was premier (1809-1812) and he was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons, May 11, 1812.—Ed.
Events treated at length are here indicated in large type; the numerals following give volume and page.
Separate chronologies of the various nations, and of the careers of famous persons, will be found in theIndex Volume, with volume and page references showing where the several events are fully treated.
A.D.
1775. Burke speaks for conciliation with America; Lord Effingham resigns his military command rather than fight against the colonists of America.
Beginning of the American Revolution: "Battle of Lexington." See xiv,1.
Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point surprised by Ethan Allen.
"Battle of Bunker Hill." See xiv,19.
Washington appointed Commander-in-Chief by the Continental Congress.
Montgomery slain in an attack on Quebec. See "Canada Remains Loyal to England," xiv,30.
All intercourse between the American colonists and Denmark interdicted by its King, Christian VII.
1776. General Howe evacuates Boston, March 17th. British repulse at Charleston by Colonel Moultrie.
Declaration of Independence adopted by the Continental Congress, July 4th. See "Signing of American Declaration of Independence," xiv,39.
Battle of Long Island; defeat of the Americans. New York occupied by the British. Howe defeats the Americans at White Plains. Fort Washington taken by the British November 16th. Washington successfully surprises the Hessians at Trenton, December 26th.
Riots in England to destroy machinery.
Publication in England of the first volume of Gibbon'sDecline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
1777. Washington defeats Cornwallis at Princeton, January 3d. The British burn Danbury. Ticonderoga captured by Burgoyne. Battles of Brandywine and Germantown; defeat of the Americans. Lafayette and Steuben arrive in America.
"Defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga." See xiv,51.
Division of the Crim Tartars into two distinct parties, the Russian and Turkish.
Execution in England of Dr. Dodd for forgery.
Austria annexes Bukowina.
1778. France recognizes the independence of the United States and forms an alliance with them. Evacuation of Philadelphia by the British. A French fleet and army arrive in America to aid the United States. Savannah captured by the British. Massacre of Wyoming. Congress refuses to treat with the British commissioners.
Beginning of the War of the Bavarian Succession.
Cook discovers the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands.
France declares war against England.
1779. Battle of Brier Creek; defeat of the Americans. Stony Point stormed by the Americans under Wayne.
Paul Jones gains a naval victory off the English coast; see "First Victory of the American Navy," xiv,68.
Repulse by the British of the Americans and French at Savannah.
Spain declares war against England; Gibraltar invested by the French and Spanish fleets.
1780. Siege and capture of Charleston by the British. First Battle of Camden; defeat of the Americans. Treachery of Arnold, who agrees to deliver West Point to the British. Execution of Major André. Victory of the Americans at King's Mountain.
Gordon "No Popery" riots in England.
England declares war against Holland for allowing Paul Jones to take his prizes into her harbors.
Revolt of Tupac Amaru in Peru.
"Joseph II Attempts Reforms in Hungary." See xiv,85.
1781. Battles of the Cowpens and Guilford Court House; defeat of the British. British victory at Hobkirk's Hill. Eutaw Springs the scene of a drawn battle. Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown. See "Siege And Surrender of Yorktown," xiv,97.
Arnold burns New London and captures Fort Griswold.
Completion of the ratification of the Articles of Confederation by the States of the Union.
Continuation of the siege of Gibraltar by the French and Spanish.
Institution of the first Sunday-school at Gloucester, England, by Robert Raikes.
1782. Evacuation by the British of Savannah and Charleston.
A preliminary treaty of peace between the United States and GreatBritain signed by John Adams, Franklin, Jay, and Laurens. See "Close of the American Revolution," xiv,137.
Great naval victory of the British admiral, Rodney, over the French, in the West Indies.
Tippoo Sahib, in Mysore, succeeds his father, Hyder Ali.
Grattan secures the independence of the Irish Parliament.
"British Defence of Gibraltar." See xiv,116.
1783. Peace of Paris between the United States and Great Britain.
New York evacuated by the British.
Peace of Versailles between Britain, France, and Spain.
Catharine II seizes the Crimea for Russia.
Many colonists of America settle in Canada on conclusion of the war. See "Settlement of American Loyalists in Canada," xiv,156.
Perfidious massacre of Tartars by Potemkin, Russian general and first favorite of Catharine II.
A patent granted to Henry Johnson and John Walter of theTimesfor stereotype or logographic printing.
"First Balloon Ascension." See xiv,163.
1784. Treaty of peace between England and Holland.
Founding of the first daily newspaper in America, at Philadelphia.
The scandal of the Diamond Necklace in France.
In Ireland the Peep-o'-Day Boys make their appearance.
Iceland for nearly twelve months desolated by an irruption of Hecla.
1785. Negotiations between the United States and Spain for free navigation of the Mississippi.
John Adams, first minister of the United States to England, received by the King.
Establishment of the Philippine Company in Spain.
John Howard, English philanthropist, sets out on his travels to visit the plague hospitals.
La Pérouse, French Admiral, proceeds to explore the Northern Pacific.
1786. A negro colony sent from London to found the settlement of Sierra Leone.
Outbreak of Shay's revolt in Massachusetts.
Impeachment of Warren Hastings, England, for peculation in India.
Galvani makes electrical discoveries.
1787. "Framing of the Constitution of the United States." See xiv,173.
Civil liberty taught in France by Lafayette and his companions in America, leads to the French Revolution.
Shay's rebellion repressed. Congress undertakes the government of the Northwest Territory.
Wedgwood manufactures his imitations of Etruscan ware.
Swedenborg's New Jerusalem Church founded.
1788. Revolution in the Austrian Netherlands provinces.
Ratification in eleven of the states of the Constitution of the UnitedStates. Founding of Cincinnati. The members of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia emancipate their slaves.
Mental derangement of George III of England. A penal settlement formed by the English in Australia.
Louis XVI of France appoints Necker chief minister. New Assembly of Notables; the Third Estate admitted, numbering one-half.
War against Russia declared by Sweden.
1789. Washington elected President of the United States. The first Congress under the Constitution supersedes the Continental Congress. Inauguration of Washington at New York, April 30. See "Inauguration of Washington: His Farewell Address," xiv,197.
War in India between the English and Tippoo Sahib.
A Roman Catholic episcopal see erected at Baltimore, the first in the United States.
Battle of Fokshani; defeat of the Turks by the Austrians and Russians.
Meeting of the States-General of France; power is seized by the Third Estate. See "French Revolution: Storming of the Bastille," xiv,212.
Mutiny of the Bounty, English ship.
1790. Philadelphia becomes the seat of government of the United States. Harmar makes an unsuccessful expedition against the Indians of the Northwest Territory.
First issue of French Assignats.
Declaration of independence by the Belgian provinces; Congress of Brussels convened.
1791. "Establishment of the United States Bank." See xiv,230.
Vermont admitted into the Union. Defeat of St. Clair by the Miamis.
Passage of the constitutional act of Canada dividing it into Upper and Lower Canada.
Buckle-makers of England petition Parliament against the use of shoe-strings.
Guillotin introduces the machine for decapitation, bearing his name.
"Negro Revolution in Haiti." See xiv,236.
Flight of the French royal family; they are stopped at Varennes and taken back to Paris. Insurrections in La Vendée and Brittany; massacres at Avignon, Marseilles, and Aix.
A new constitution adopted by the King and Diet of Poland, which gives offence to Catharine of Russia.
Hungary secures constitutional liberties from Leopold II; the rights of Protestants sanctioned.
1792. Washington reëlected President of the United States. The national mint established at Philadelphia. Admission of Kentucky into the Union.
Confiscation of the property of the FrenchÉmigrés; a Girondist ministry formed by Louis XVI; he is compelled to declare war against Austriaand Prussia. See "Republican France Defies Europe: Battle of Valmy," xiv,252.
1793. Congress passes the first fugitive-slave law of the United States. Washington begins his second administration.
"Invention of the Cotton-gin." See xiv,271.
"Execution of Louis XVI: Murder of Marat: Civil War in France." See xiv, 295.
Toulon retaken by the French from the English; Napoleon Bonaparte commands the French artillery.
Further partition of Poland; the western portion annexed by Prussia; she also seizes Dantzic, a free city; Russia takes the more eastern provinces.
Volta makes known his galvanic battery.
1794. Battle of Maumee Rapids; the power of the Miamis broken by General Wayne. The great Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania. Jay arranges a treaty with Great Britain.
Climax of the Reign of Terror in France; fall and death of Danton; Robespierre and the Jacobin Club both fall. See "The Reign of Terror," xiv,311.
Victory of the English, under Lord Howe, over the French fleet.
"Downfall of Poland." See xiv,330.
Trial in England of Hardy, Horne Tooke, and others for constructive high treason.
1795. Sale of the Western Reserve (in Ohio) of Connecticut.
Holland completely conquered by the French; insurrection in Paris by the bourgeois against the Convention; the Constitution of the year 111 adopted; Bonaparte crushes the insurrection of Vendémiaire; government of the Directory.
Formation of the Orange Society in Ireland.
Third partition of Poland.
1796. Tennessee admitted into the Union. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson elected President and Vice-President of the United States. Publication of Washington's Farewell Address.
Bonaparte given command of the French in Italy; Sardinia submits; the Austrians driven from Lombardy; the Cispadane Republic formed. Unsuccessful attempt of the French on Ireland.
"Rise of Napoleon: French Conquest of Italy." See xiv,339.
Ceylon taken from the Dutch by the English.
Alliance of France with Tippoo Sahib and Spain against England.
1797. Difficulties between the United States and France nearly lead to war.
Suspension of specie payments in England; naval victories of the British, Cape Vincent, over the Spaniards, and of Camperdown, over the Dutch.
1798. Passage in the United States of the Alien and Sedition laws.
"Overthrow of the Mamelukes: The Battle of the Nile." See xiv,353.
Imprisonment of the pope and formation of the Roman republic by the French; the Helvetian republic founded by them.
"Jenner Introduces Vaccination." See xiv,363.
Gas-lights introduced by Watt and Boulton.
1798. English expedition against Holland; capture of the Dutch fleet.
Mysore taken by the English; death of Tippoo Sahib.
Sugar first extracted from the beet-root by Achard.
"The Great Irish Rebellion." See xv, 1.
Count Rumford discovers that heat is a mode of motion.
Greathead, England, invents the lifeboat.
Gradual emancipation of negroes in New York.
1799. Advance into Syria by Napoleon; repulsed from Acre; victorious over the Turks at Abukir; he reëmbarks for France; Kléber left in command in Egypt.
Napoleon, Sieyès, and Fouché effect a change of government in France; military force used; Napoleon first consul.