Questions tagged [18th-century]
The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 to December 31, 1800 in the Gregorian calendar.
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Was Fredrick the Great considered a strong military leader or was it all because of the superior officers that came out of Prussia at the time?
Was all the military success due to Fredrick II's strategic ability or was it due to his commanders During his reign 1740-1786
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Earliest Born Photographed Person
I recently came across an image of the well known daguerrotype of President Andrew Jackson taken in 1845. It lead me to wonder what is the earliest born photographed person. Andrew Jackson was born in ...
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Why did the United States under the Articles of Confederation have a hard time getting funding?
I see it written in many sources (examples: 1 and 2) that the central government under the Articles of Confederation could only "request" funds from the states. But the text of the Articles seems ...
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Was 18th century Prussia really so militarily obsessed?
I'm reading A Military History of Germany by Martin Kitchen, and I was surprised at the description of 18th century Prussia.
The country is described as a North-Korea like military obsessed nation, ...
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What motivated revolutionary France to declare war on Britain in 1793?
France declared war on Britain in 1793 (War of First Coalition). What was its motivation for declaring war? It was already at war with many European powers at the moment, and it was not likely in a ...
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Why was the Cornish Militia stationed in Devon in late 18th Century?
On Genealogy & Family History SE, I asked a question about Finding late 18th Century service record of Francis Green in Cornish Militia?, and it looks like it will need a degree of luck to find ...
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Contracted Trade in the 18th century
I'm trying to get an understanding of how trade worked in the 18th century. I'm trying to learn how trade was conducted so I can make a realistic game. I'm struggling to find a good source for the ...
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How was Virginia transformed from a society with slaves, to a slave society? [closed]
Not sure what the main answer to this question.
I know Bacon's rebellion changed the lives of many poor whites with no land.
Also, there were the slave laws which I need to do more research on.
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Why was slavery profitable in the Southern colonies and not New England?
Why didn't Colonists in New England import massive numbers of Slaves?
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Why did the line infantry not use shields in the 18th century?
Why did soldiers in the line infantry in the 18th century not used shield as protection against the fire from the other line infantry ?
I have seen that line infantry was used this way where the one ...
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What were the borders of Egypt from 1798 to 1803?
It's very hard for me to find the borders for French Egypt during the time of Napoleon 1798-1803.
Specially the southern borders of Egypt where did they go?
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During/After the Napoleonic occupation of the Germanic Rhinelands, what happened to the currency in the area?
Did Napoleon bring the French Francs over, or did the (many) local currencies remain in use? I understood that the area's tolls on the river were unified, but have a hard time imagining how exactly ...
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Why did Peter the Great tie particular expenditures to particular revenue sources?
Peter the Great founded the Russian Academy in 1724. In his decree, he says the Academy will be supported by an annual grant of 25,000 rubles drawn from the custom tolls of Baltic Sea ports. (source)
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In the late 18th century, would any of the southwestern area of Germany used Franks instead of their own currency?
While looking up family history I found an old German marriage document which specified a dowry of "1000 Franks." With that, the families in question were from the Suggental/Waldkirch area in what is ...
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Did the increase of slavery in the US bring an end to indentured servitude?
In the development of the New World, indentured servitude was quite common for passage across the Atlantic. Did the increase in slavery in America, especially in Virginia and other similar ...
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Did any nation have a demonstrable qualitative advantage in their soldiers of the 18th century, and how did they achieve this?
I once read in a primary source that whilst the Prussians had the best drilled regiments who were able to fire 4 shots a minute to everyone else's standard of 3. Comparatively, British Redcoats were ...
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Ports Used by French Navy in 1792 and Strength of Fleet
I am currently writing series of young adult novels about the European Conflicts beginning in 1792.
Where were the major and minor French Navy ports and yards, and what was the relative strength of ...
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How did the central government of the United States finance itself under the Articles of Confederation?
The Congress of the Confederation couldn't levy taxes. State governments were the ones with the power to control commerce with other states and nations even. It also has the power to levy tax.
If ...
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Need help interpreting “silver” hallmark - 1706?
I'm looking for some assistance in interpreting the silver hallmark in the image below. EPNS tells us it's not real silver, could 1706 really be the true date with that in mind? What does the shell-...
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How did the Alien and Sedition acts pass?
The Alien and Sedition acts, passed in 1798, are said to have been an attempt by the Federalist Party to suppress opposition.
In Chapter 74 Section 2, the law seems to put restrictions on freedom of ...
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Other than coffee and tobacco what major product became Cuba's source of wealth in the 18th century?
How did the Industrial Revolution affect the production of this commodity? What, if any, affect did the Great Depression have on the industry?
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When were public tariffs and taxes for water supply introduced for the first time?
Early Rome had indoor plumbing, meaning a system of aqueducts and pipes that terminated in homes and at public wells and fountains for people to use.It was in the 18th century that a rapidly growing ...
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How stable was the Middle East under Ottoman rule?
Since the outbreak of WWI, the Middle East has been a strategic area; many powers have vied for control.
How stable was the region under Ottoman rule?
Stable is, for the purposes of this question, ...
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Napoleon's exploits in 1785
Napoleon Bonaparte being commissioned Second Lieutenant at the age 17 in French Artillery, returned to Corsica.
Given his French Allegiance, why did he join the resistance movement while still ...
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Anti-Semitism and Edmund Burke
Are there any historical references to Edmund Burkes' views on anti-Semitism? His works specifically deal with the British governance, and legal systems' that could guide the UK through the turbulent ...
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Did pirates really drink a lot of rum?
In every movie, cartoon, comic or any other fictional sources I have read or watched that involves sea pirates, it is always shown that their favorite beverage is rum.
I want to know why sea pirates ...
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What happened to the French royal navy during the french-revolution?
Similar to my other question about her colonies I am interested in knowing what happened to the french royal navy of the period. Some ships must have been at sea and only learned the news as they ...
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What percentage of the population in the Thirteen Colonies in 1776 were first/second generation immigrants?
Besides British immigration, did the thirteen colonies see a lot of immigration from other European states?
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What was the impact of utilitarianism upon the development of psychiatric care in 18th-19th century England?
I'm interested in the impact of utilitarianism upon English psychiatric care by way of the philosophy's influence on social reformers. More tenuously, I want to know whether and in what ways ...
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Dimensions and parts of Fort Douglas, Winnipeg Canada
I am having troubles estimating the dimensions of Fort Douglas that WAS in Winnipeg Canada. Fort Douglas (from what I understand, correct me if I'm wrong) was the stage of the battle of Seven Oaks. I ...
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How were Warrant Officers appointed to Royal Navy ships during the Age of Sail?
As I understand it, Warrant Officers got their name from the warrant issued by the Admiralty (depending on the applicant having the correct qualifications). From the descriptions I've read, these ...
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Amount of ammunition typically carried by an C18th British redcoat
How many rounds of musket ammunition did the typical British redcoat carry during the C18th & Napoleonic wars?
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Curious office hours of Topographical Bureau where Napoleon served in 1795?
In his new biography Napoleon the Great Andrew Roberts reports about Napoleon's stint in the Historical and Topographical Bureau of the war ministry in Paris between mid-August and early October 1795.
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Was there continuity in the political elite between the Confederation Congress and the US Congress?
I mean the Congress under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1789. Did the Constitutional system sweep aside the former class of politicians who made a poor job of government under the ...
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Did any European/American settlements in the Ohio Country survive the French and Indian War?
The Ohio Company was formed in 1748 to bring English settlement to the Ohio Country. At that time, the Ohio Country was largely uninhabited, as the Iroquois had driven out or exterminated the tribes ...
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Where did the French revolutionists get their weapons?
I have learned in class that the main purpose of raiding the Bastille in 14 July 1789 was to acquire the weapons in the Bastille. There was only a few political prisoners held there. There were, on ...
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Voting enfranchisement in the USA in the 18th century
It is frequently asserted that when the US constitution was ratified in 1788, it was a very progressive piece of legislation because it gave everyone the right to vote, making the US the first modern ...
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Why did archery not make a comeback when armor was phased out in the 18th century?
Even if we account for the argument that it is much more tedious to train a man to use a bow than a musket, why then did the arbalest not make a comeback? Its effective range - reportedly at 300m, is ...
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Persian Letters
Assume that Montesquieu was trying to send a message to his readers about French politics under the Bourbon monarchy when he published The Persian Letters in 1721. Was it a message of reform, i.e., ...
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Why is the Stamp Act of 1765 known as a “direct tax?”
I'm not exactly sure where to put this question... I am trying to figure out the difference between "direct" and "indirect" taxes in the context of some historical taxes I'm learning about in an ...
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Why are the “Three Musketeers” called musketeers?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Musketeers_%281987_TV_series%29
They fight with sabres all the time. No musket. So why?
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Was there a movement for “humane” slavery?
Many of us are familiar with the movements for "free-range" or "humane" animal products. I have heard that in the antebellum US there were similar movements for "humane" slave products.
Is this true? ...
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Were British parliamentary seats really advertised in newspapers?
I have this vague recollection of reading about actual ads in newspapers selling seats in the British parliament (18th or 19th century pocket/rotten boroughs)
Did they actually have ads in newspapers?...
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Were there interstate tariffs before the US Constitution (1789)?
I've heard many times that the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution was (in part) designed to end tariffs between the thirteen states. Now that I'm trying to learn about those tariffs, I'm having a ...
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Usage of “native American” in the 18th Century
I have a case of an 18th century white man referring to his nationality as native American, meaning he was born in America. This is on his census form. Was this usage common?
For clarity:
I'm asking ...
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Quesnay, Adam Smith, and Pitt
I am now reading the book Decadent Societies by R.M. Adams and on pp.66-7 he writes:
Quesnay's ideas, which fell on stony ground in France, showed their
basic vitality when picked up by Adam ...
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Why was there no concerted effort to end the Barbary pirate raids until the 1800's?
Barbary pirate raids on the Mediterranean coast led to widespread depopulation of the coasts from Venice to Malaga with the obvious exception of the larger cities. The pirate raids also seem to be the ...
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Did Ben Franklin actually make any tofu?
It is well documented that Franklin was interested in tofu, which he called a sort of cheese made from beans, and he got a recipe for making it that he sent on to others. But no source that I have ...
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How were the borders of small European principalities maintained or secured?
With shifting boundaries, enclaves, exclaves, and alliances, how were the territorial extents of small principalities or duchies maintained, for example in the Holy Roman Empire or German ...
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Was the 18th century Russian peasant braver; or simply more afraid of Cossacks?
Frederick the Great famously noted after the Battle of Zorndorf that "It's easier to kill the Russians than to win over them."
For that same battle the Russian commander (William Fermor) is noted as ...
