Category Archives: 18th Century

Historical Facts from 1701 to 1800 CE

July 4, 1776

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Joel Byers

On July 4, 1776, the amended Declaration of Independence, prepared by Thomas Jefferson, was approved and signed by John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress of America. Why was Thomas Jefferson drafted to write the Declaration of Independence instead of the more qualified and better writer Benjamin Franklin? It was because Franklin was well … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

May 25, 1721

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Joel Byers

On May 25, 1721, John Copson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became America’s first insurance agent. At that time, shipping was very important, so Copson offered insurance on ships and their cargo. He did have exemptions for shipwrecks caused by mermaids, kraken, and albino sperm-whales, although you could purchase a rider for the sperm-whales. He also refused … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

May 23, 1785

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Joel Byers

On May 23, 1785, US Founding Father and inventor Benjamin Franklin announced that he had invented bifocals, which were glasses that would allow a person to see both far away and up close. He also announced that for $18.99, he would sell to discerning customers an upgrade that would allow a person to see a … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

May 20, 1774

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Joel Byers

On May 20, 1774, Britain passed the Coercive Acts to punish the American colonists for their increasingly anti-British behavior. All American colonists were immediately prohibited from drinking coffee. Tea was to be the caffeinated beverage of choice. Also, rum was to be only allowed for the lower classes. The higher caste colonials were told to … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

April 16, 1705

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Joel Byers

On April 16, 1705, Queen Anne of England knighted Isaac Newton for his contributions to math and science that brought prestige and acclaim to the British Empire. The now “Sir” Isaac Newton showed nerds worldwide that hot chicks could also appreciate a huge noggin that could do the mental heavy lifting. Don’t get me wrong, … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

April 8, 1766

Posted on April 8, 2019 by Joel Byers

On April 8, 1766, the first fire escape was supposedly patented. There is a rudimentary drawing that showed a wicker basket attached to a rope and pulley system that would allow people to lower themselves to the ground from a second, third, or fourth floor window. There is not an identifiable inventor for this contraption. … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

April 6, 1722

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Joel Byers

On April 6, 1722, Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia ended the beard tax that he imposed back in 1698. He imposed the tax, along with other measures to modernize Russia so it could compete with the Englands, Frances, and Spains of the European world. The other things he did, like changing Russia’s calendar, the … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

April 3, 1776

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Joel Byers

On April 3, 1776, George Washington received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Harvard College. While honored, George Washington almost declined it, as he was waiting to hear back from the Art Instruction School. He’d read an ad in the Pennsylvania Gazette that said, “Dost Thou Lovest To Scribble? Can Thoust Draw This Drunken … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

March 31, 1776

Posted on March 31, 2019 by Joel Byers

On March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams, the wife of future President and Founding Father, John Adams, wrote to her husband that women were “determined to foment a rebellion” if the new Declaration of Independence failed to guarantee their rights. Well, not the rights of all women, such as black women, or native women, or even … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

March 27, 1794

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Joel Byers

On March 27, 1794, Denmark and Sweden formed a neutrality compact. Off to the side, Switzerland noticed what they were doing and thought to itself. “Hmmm. If I was to add a high quality milk chocolate and a highly confidential international banking industry to a neutrality concept in all wars, I might have a new, … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century, Historical Facts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment