18th Century Culture
1700s
Events
Collapse of Mughal Dynasty in India 1707
Texts
A Tale of a Tub Jonathan Swift (Ireland) 1704
Theater
The Way of the World William Congreve (UK) 1706
Music
Bach
1710s
Events
Texts
The Rape of the Lock Alexander Pope (UK) 1714
Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe (UK) 1719
Music
Bach
1720s
Events
Texts
Moll Flanders Daniel Defoe (UK) 1722
Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan Swift (Ireland) 1726
A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift (Ireland) 1729
Music
Brandenburg Concertos, J.S. Bach (Germany) 1720
Theater
The Beggar’s Opera John Gay (UK) 1728
1730s
Events
Benjamin Franklin begins publishing Poor Richard’s Almanac 1732
Texts
Music
Bach
Theory
Essay on Man Alexander Pope (UK) 1734
Treatise of Human Nature, David Hume (UK) 1739
1740s
Events
Texts
Pamela Samuel Richardson (UK) 1740
Tom Jones Henry Fielding (UK) 1749
Music
Bach
Theory
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding David Hume (UK) 1748
Essay on Blindness Denis Diderot (France) 1749
1750s
Events
French and Indian War 1754-63
Battle of Plassey and British colonization of India 1757
Moscow University founded 1755
Texts
Heloise, J.J. Rousseau (France) 1756
Candide Voltaire 1759
Music
Theory
An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, David Hume (UK) 1751
Discourse on Inequality, J.J. Rousseau (France) 1755
1760s
Events
French and Indian War 1754-63
Watt invents steam engine 1769
Texts
Emile J.J. Rousseau (France) 1762
The Story of the Stone Cao Xueqin (China) 1763
Laocoon, Lessing (Germany) 1766
The Vicar of Wakefield Oliver Goldsmith (UK) 1766
Minna von Barnhelm, Lessing (Germany) 1767
Tristram Shandy Laurence Sterne (UK) 1767
Music
Theory
The Social Contract J.J. Rousseau (France) 1762
1770s
Events
Boston Massacre 1770
Boston Tea Party 1773
The East India Company (established in 1600) colonizes India 1773-1858
American Revolution 1775-1783
Texts
Selected poems, Ho Xuan Huong (Vietnam) 1770s
Emilia Galotti Lessing (Germany) 1772
The Sorrows of Young Werther J.W. Goethe (Germany) 1774
Wilhelm Meister J.W. Goethe (Germany) 1776
Confessions J.J. Rousseau (France) 1778
Nathan the Wise Lessing (Germany) 1779
Iphigenie J.W. Goethe (Germany) 1779
Music
Paris Symphony W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1778
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1778
Theater
She Stoops to Conquer Oliver Goldsmith (UK) 1773
The Robbers Friedrich Schiller (Germany) 1779
Theory
Common Sense Thomas Paine (US) 1776
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations Adam Smith (UK) 1776
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Edward Gibbon (UK) 1776
1780s
Events
French Revolution 1789
Texts
Songs of Innocence William Blake (UK) 1789
Music
Symphony No. 35 (Haffner) W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1782
Symphony No. 36 (Linz) W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1783
The Marriage of Figaro W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1786
Don Giovanni, W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1787
Symphony in G Minor (K550) W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1788
Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter) W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1788
Theater
The Robbers Friedrich Schiller (Germany) 1781
Don Carlos Friedrich Schiller (Germany) 1787
Theory
Critique of Pure Reason Immanuel Kant (Germany) 1781
What is Enlightenment? Immanuel Kant (Germany) 1784
Critique of Practical Reason Immanuel Kant (Germany) 1788
1790s
Events
Washington DC becomes US national capital 1791
Haitian Revolution 1791
Texts
Life of Samuel Johnson James Boswell (UK) 1791
Songs of Experience William Blake (UK) 1794
Mariner, Kubla Khan Samuel Coleridge (UK) 1798
Music
The Magic Flute W.A. Mozart (Germany) 1791
Theater
Wallenstein Friedrich Schiller (Germany) 1798
Visual
Death of Marat J.L. David (France) 1793
Theory
Critique of Judgement Immanuel Kant (Germany) 1790
Rights of Man Thomas Paine (US) 1791
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Mary Wollstonecraft (UK) 1792
On the Aesthetic Education of Humanity Friedrich Schiller (Germany) 1795