| Year | Event |
|---|
Domestic Politics |
|---|
| 1707 |
England and Scotland unite to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. |
| 1714 |
George I, first Hanoverian King, appointed by parliament; Robert Walpole first Prime Minister. |
| 1727-1760 |
Reign of George II — Parliament controled by Whig party. |
| 1760-1820 |
Reign of George III — King sought to control Parliament, favored Tory party. |
| 1757 |
William Pitt the Elder, becomes Secretary of State, later Prime Minister of England. |
| 1782 |
William Pitt the Younger becomes Prime Minster of England. |
| 1798 |
Serious rebellion in Ireland is put down by Britain; Irish parliment dissolved. |
Wars and Conflicts |
|---|
| 1715 |
Old Pretender incites the First Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland. |
| 1739-48 |
War of the Austrian Succession—Britain allies with Austria to fight France. |
| 1745 |
Young Pretender incites the Second Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland. |
| 1756-63 |
Seven Year's War in Europe, a.k.a. French Indian Wars in America, Carnatic Wars in India |
| 1757 |
Clive's victory at Plassey, wins Bengal in India for Britain. |
| 1759 |
Wolfe's capture of Quebec, wins French Canada for Britain. |
| 1759 |
Hawke's victory at Qiberon Bay, destroys French Sea Power. |
| 1776-83 |
American Revolutionary War begins when American colonists Declare their Independence. |
| 1777 |
France allies with the colonies against Britain following the Battle of Saratoga. |
| 1781 |
General Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, the last battle of the Revolutionary war. |
| 1792-1802 |
French Revolutionary Wars France gains territory in Europe but looses control of colonies. |
| 1797 |
Battles of St. Vincent and Camperdown give Britain control of the sea. |
| 1798 |
Battle of the Nile destroys Napoleon plans to takeover Egypt. |
| 1801 |
Battle of Copenhagen destroys French naval power in the North Sea. |
| 1802-14 |
Napoleonic Wars drag all of Europe into turmoil. |
| 1805 |
A naval victory at Trafalgar under Horatio Nelson destroys French naval power. |
| 1808 |
Peninsular War begins in Spain—Duke of Wellington helps drive the French out of Spain. |
| 1814 |
Wellington and Marshal Blucher defeat Napoleon at Waterloo. |
Exploration and Discovery |
|---|
| 1764 |
James Hargreaves invents the Spinning Jenny. |
| 1771 |
Captain Cook discovers Australia, New Zealand. |
| 1784 |
James Watt invents the Steam Engine—ushers in the industrial revolution. |
Arts and Culture |
|---|
| 1755 |
Samuel Johnson publishes Dictionary of English Language. |
| 1776 |
Adam Smith publishes The Wealth of Nations, revolutionizes ideas about commerce, taxes, and economics. |