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imeline
| Year | Life of Burns | Literature & Philosophy | Music & Art | Industry & Invention | Exploration & Discovery | Diplomacy & War |
| 1759 | Robert Burns born in Alloway, Ayrshire, Jan. 25. | The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith Candide, Voltaire |
George Frideric Handel d. April 14, London (b.1685). Symphony No.1 in D major, Haydn |
Construction of the third Eddystone Lighthouse is completed by John Smeaton. British Museum opens at Montagu House. |
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Wolfe defeats French at Quebec. Georges Jacques Danton, French Revolutionist, b. (d. 1794) Charles III succeeds Ferdinand VI as King of Spain. Jesuits expelled from Portugal. |
| 1760 | |
Tristram Shandy, Laurence Sterne. Citizen of the World, Oliver Goldsmith. |
Jean-George Noverre's Lettres sur La Danse, et sur La Ballet defines the esthetics and structure of the Romantic movement in ballet. Symphonies 2-5, Haydn. First exhibition of contemporary art at Royal Society of Arts, London. |
Carron Iron Works founded at Falkirk. Pottery works founded at Etruria, Staffordshire by Josiah Wedgwood. Botanical Gardens open in Kew, London. |
Jakobus Coetsee explores South Africa. | George III becomes king of England. |
| 1761 | |
Julie, ou la nouvelle Heloise Jean-Jaques Rousseau Collected works of Voltaire, trans. by Smollett and others, pub. in England. |
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John Harrison's chronometer perfected, allowing determination of longitude at sea. First exhibition of agricultural machines, Society of Arts, London. |
Castens Niebuhr leads Danish expedition to explore Arabia. | Ieharu becomes Shogun of Japan. |
| 1762 | |
Emile, and The Social Contract, Rousseau A Little Pretty Pocket Book(England, 1744) published in New York. The entry for "B" describes and illustrates a game called "Base-Ball." |
The Times,I engraving by William Hogarth, attacks Pitt and the war with France. | |
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| 1763 | |
Patrick Henry successfully challenges English authority in the Parson's Cause. | |
Swing Plough invented by James Small. | |
The Treaty of Paris ends the Seven Years War. |
| 1764 | |
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William Hogarth d. Oct. 26. | James Hargraves' Spinning Jenny. | |
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| 1765 | Robert, and brother Gilbert, begin their schooling under John Murdoch. | |
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Stamp Act enforced in American colonies, spurring riots. |
| 1766 | William Burnes leases Mt. Oliphant farm. | Johann Wolfgang von Goethe begins writing major works. | |
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Stamp Act repealed. |
| 1767 | |
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| 1768 | |
Encylopaedia Britannica published in Edinburgh by William Smellie. | The Royal Academy of Arts established in England. | Richard Arkwright's water frame. | Capt. James Cook begins the first of his Pacific explorations. | |
| 1769 | |
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First steam engine patented by James Watt. | Alexander von Humboldt b. September 14, Berlin Daniel Boone travels through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. Cook discovers Tahiti. |
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| 1770 | |
G.W.F. Hegel b. Aug. 27, Stuttgart. William Wordsworth born April 7, Cockermouth, Cumberland. |
Ludwig van Beethoven b. Dec., Bonn. | |
Cook explores New Zealand and east coast of Australia. William Clark b. Aug.1, Caroline County, Virginia. |
"Boston Massacre" - British troops fire into crowd, killing five. |
| 1771 | |
The Man of Feeling, Henry Mackenzie. Humphrey Clinker, Tobias Smollett. Sir Walter Scott b. in Edinburgh. Smollett d. Sep. 17 in Livorno, Italy. |
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Society of Engineers founded by Smeaton. | |
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| 1772 | Robert and Gilbert study in Dalrymple on alternate weeks. | Samuel Taylor Coleridge b. Oct. 21, Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire. | |
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First Partition of Poland. |
| 1773 | Robert's first song, Handsome Nell. | Samuel Johnson and James Boswell tour the Hebrides. | |
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Cook crosses Antarctic Circle. | Boston Tea Party. Klemens Furst von Metternich b. May 15, Coblenz, Trier. |
| 1774 | |
Robert Fergusson d. in Edinburgh. | |
Joseph Priestley discovers oxygen. | Meriwether Lewis b. Aug. 18, near Charlottesville, Virginia. | Intolerable Acts. British Parliament passes a series of four punitive acts in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party. First Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia. |
| 1775 | Robert attends dancing school in Kirkoswald. | |
J.M.W. Turner b. April 23, London. | First cotton-spinning mill, Cromford, Derbyshire. Glenturret Distillery, Crieff, the oldest in Scotland, established. |
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Second Continental Congress convenes. Patrick Henry proclaims "Give me liberty or give me death!" Battle of Lexington and Concord, Apr. 19. The American Revolution begins. Battle of Bunker Hill, June, 17. |
| 1776 | |
The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith. David Hume d. Aug. 25, Edinburgh. |
John Constable b. June 11, Suffolk. | First submarine. David Bushnell's Turtle takes water into its tanks to submerge and reverses the process to rise. It moves by means of a hand cranked propeller. | |
Declaration of Independence, July 4. |
| 1777 | The Burnes family leases Lochlea farm in Tarbolton parish. | |
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Battle of Saratoga. |
| 1778 | |
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La Scala opens in Milan. | |
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Britain declares war on France. |
| 1779 | |
Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion published posthumously. | |
Crompton's spinning mule. Abraham Darby's iron bridge across the Severn. Jan Ingenhousz discovers the process of photosynthesis in plants. |
James Cook lands at Kealakua Bay, Hawaii. At first mistaken as the reincarnation of Lono, God of happiness and harvests, he is killed by the Hawaians one month later. | Talleyrand begins his career... as a court cleric. |
| 1780 | Robert and his friends found the Tarbolton Bachelor's Club. | Thomas Chalmers, Scottish divine and humanist, b. in Anstruther, Fife. | |
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Benedict Arnold gives Major Andre the plans to West Point. |
| 1781 | Robert enters the Masonic Lodge in Tarbolton as an Apprentice. Works as a flaxdresser in Irvine. (through 1782). Burns suffers a severe illness. | Critique of Pure Reason, Emmanuel Kant. | |
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Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, effectively ending the American Revolution. |
| 1782 | Burnes family engaged in a rent dispute with landlord of Lochlea (through 1783). | |
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Daniel Webster, American orator and politition, b. Jan. 18., Salisbury, N.H. Act proscribing Highland dress repealed. Great Britain recognizes U.S. independence. |
| 1783 | Burnes family employs Elizabeth Paton as a servant. Robert and Gilbert agree to lease of Mossgiel farm in Mauchline parish. In April Burns begins to keep his Commonplace Book. | Noah Webster's "Blue-Backed Speller" published. | |
Montgolfier bros. balloon achieves first manned aerial voyage, Nov. 21. | |
Paris Peace Treaty - peace between France and Great Britain; official Cessation of Hostilities between U.S. and Great Britain. |
| 1784 | William Burnes dies Feb. 14. Burnes family moves to Mossgiel farm. Robert elected Deputy Master of St. James Masonic Lodge, July. Affair with Elizabeth Paton. | Denis Diderot d., July 30, Paris Samuel Johnson d., Dec. 13. |
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Oliver Evans creates first automated production line, making refined flour at a mill outside Philadelphia. | |
Pitt's India Act establishes joint government/company control of the East India Company. |
| 1785 | Meets Jean Armour in Mauchline. Elizabeth (Bess) Burns, Robert's daughter by Elizabeth Paton, born May 22. Burns begins to write his major poetry. | Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson,LL.D., James Boswell. | |
Edward Cartwright patents his power loom. A steam spinning-mill opens in Nottinghamshire. Benjamin Franklin invents bifocals. |
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Official "beginning" of the Highland Clearances. |
| 1786 | Robert adopts the spelling Burns for his last name. Jean Armour's pregnancy by Robert becomes known and Burns is repudiated by the Armour family. Robert decides to to emigrate to Jamaica and publish his poems to raise the necessary funds. He has an affair with Margaret "Highland Mary" Campbell. In June, Jean Armour returns to Mauchline and Robert appears before the Kirk session to acknowledge his responsibility for Jean's pregnancy. He then leaves the parrish to avoid a legal writ by Jean's father, seeking financial damages on her behalf. The Kilmarnock edition of his poems is published in July and is an immediate success. Jean gives birth to twins in September. In October Margaret Campbell dies in Greenock. Riding the success of his first edition Robert travels to Edinburgh in November, where he spends the winter making contacts, mingling with Edinburgh society, and otherwise playing the role of Literary Lion. | Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Robert Burns | Le Nozze di Figaro, Mozart. Carl Maria von Weber b. Nov.18, Holstien. |
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Michel-Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat scale Mont Blanc. | |
| 1787 | Affair with Meg Cameron, an Edinburgh servant. First Edinburgh Edition published. Burns sells his copyright to Creech. Robert tours Scotland and renews relationship with Jean Armour. Daughter Jean dies Oct.20. Burns spends second winter in Edinburgh and meets Agnes M'Lehose (Clarinda). | The Scots Musical Museum, James Johnson and Robert Burns (ed.). First of six volumes published through 1803. Edinburgh edition of Burns poems is published, adding 22 poems. |
Don Giovanni, Mozart. | |
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U.S. Constitution is written. |
| 1788 | Robert has an affair with Jenny Clow, servant to Agnes M'Lehose with whom he is involved in a heavily flirtatious affair. In March, Jean Armour gives birth to twin girls who die shortly thereafter. She and Robert are privatetly married the next month. Burns leases Ellisland farm, near Dumfries, and receives his commision as an excise officer. Robert and Jean face rebuke before the Mauchline Kirk Session for their irregular marriage and receive Kirk confirmation. In November, Jean joins Robert at Ellisland, and Jenny Clow gives birth to illegitimate son, Robert Burns. | George Gordon, Lord Byron born, London. | |
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English establish penal colony in Botany Bay, Australia. | |
| 1789 | Jean gives birth to son, Francis Wallace Burns. Robert travels to Edinburgh to settle financial affairs with Creech and Jenny Clow. Robert appointed as Riding OfÞcer of the First Dumfriesshire Itinerary of the Excise, covering ten parishes in Nithsdale. | Songs of Innocence, William Blake. | |
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Declaration of the Rights of Man approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26. Outbreak of the French revolution. George Washington inaugerated as the first president of the U.S. First National Thanksgiving celebrated. |
| 1790 | Burns transferred to Third Dumfries Division of the Excise, but continues living at Ellisland. Affair with Anne Park, barmaid at the Globe Inn in Dumfries. Burns sends MS of Tam o' Shanter to Francis Grose. | The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., James Boswell. Adam Smith dies, Edinburgh. |
Cossi fan Tutte, Mozart. | The Forth and Clyde Canal, engineered by Smeaton, is completed. Hydraulic press is invented. Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, philosopher and inventor dies in Philadelphia, April 17. |
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U.S. Supreme Court convenes for first time, in New York. |
| 1791 | Birth of daughter Elizabeth, by Anne Park. Jean gives birth to son William Nicol. Burns gives up farm at Ellisland and moves to Dumfries. Visits Edinburgh to make his farewell to Agnes M'Lehose, who has made plans to join her husband in Jamaica. | The Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D.,James Boswell. Tam o'Shanter, Burns (in Grose's Antiquities of Scotland). |
Die Zauberflote, Requiem Mass Mozart. Symphony No. 94 "The Surprise," Symphony No. 96 "Miracle," Haydn Mozart d. Dec. 5, Vienna. |
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Bill of Rights added to U.S. Constitution. |
| 1792 | Birth of daughter Elizabeth Riddell Burns. | Percy Bysshe Shelley b., Field Place, near Horsham. | |
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War of the First Coalition (1792-1797). France declares war on Austria, Prussia & Piedmont. |
| 1793 | Burns transferred to Dumfries Port Division of the Excise. He moves to Mill Vennel. A quarrel at a December party results in the estrangement of Robert and his dear friends Maria and Robert Riddell. | The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, William Blake. An Evening Walk, Descriptive Sketches, William Wordsworth. Second Edinburgh edition of Burns poems is published - the last editon he supervised - including 19 new poems. A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs for the Voice, (eight pts. through 1818) George Thomson (ed.), contains over 70 Burns songs. |
The Louvre opens as a public museum. | Cotton gin patented by Eli Whitney. | |
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette guillotined, Jan. 21. Death of Marat, July 13. Robespierre, Jacobin leader, gains control of the Committee of Public Safety. The Reign of Terror begins. France declares war on England, Holland and Spain. HRE declares war on France. Second Partition of Poland. |
| 1794 | Birth of son James Glencairn Burns. Appointment as Acting Supervisor of the Excise. Robert Riddell dies, April 21. | Songs of Experience, William Blake. | Symphony No. 100 "Military," Haydn. | |
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Tadeusz Kosciuszko launches an (ulyimately unsuccessful) armed insurrection against Russian forces in Poland. Georges Danton dies at the guillotine, April 5, Paris. Robespierre, denounced as a dictator, is guillotined, July 28. |
| 1795 | Maria Riddell seeks reconciliation with Burns. Daughter Elizabeth Riddell Burns dies in September. Burns is gravely ill from December on. | Thomas Carlyle born, Ecclefechan. John Keats born, Oct.31, London. James Boswell dies, May 19. Essays of Philosophical Subjects,Adam Smith (post.) |
Piano Concerto "No. 2" in B Flat Major,Beethoven. Symphony No. 102 in B Flat Major, Symphony No. 103 "Drum Roll," Haydn. |
Ecole Polytechnique founded in Paris. | |
Napoleon named General en chef de l'armee de l'Interieur. Opens Italian Campaign. Third Partition of Poland eliminates the name of Poland from the map of Europe for more than a century. |
| 1796 | Burns dies July 21, in Dumfries, and is buried on July 25, the same day his son Maxwell is born. | Poems on Various Subjects, Coleridge. James Macpherson dies, Badenoch. |
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Edward Jenner discovers the process of vaccination. He uses cowpox matter to innoculate against the smallpox virus. | Mungo Park discovers the Niger River, and publishes accounts of his African expedition. | |
| Year | Life of Burns | Literature & Philosophy | Music & Art | Industry & Invention | Exploration & Discovery | Diplomacy & War |
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