In
The 18th Century , the new content constitutes more than two-thirds of the set. Commissioned especially for the new series and appearing here for the first time, essays cover the world’s most important events and developments - from 1701 through 1800 - in the century that witnessed the world’s transition to a modern industrial and scientific society.
Great Events from History: The 18th Century
begins with 105 core essays from Salem’s acclaimed
Chronology of European History and Great Events
from
History: North American Series . The set adds 238 new essays. That’s 69 percent new coverage! Events covered include the obligatory geopolitical events of the era - from the War of the Spanish Succession through the American and French Revolutions, from the collapse of the South Sea Bubble to the rise of Napoleon. Also, however, the essays address key social and cultural developments in daily life, from the expansion of the Atlantic slave trade to the opening of Japan to foreign commerce and publications. Scientific achievements boomed in this post-Newtonian age. Hence, major advancements in astronomy, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics, biology and genetics are thoroughly covered here - as are many of their practical applications. The emphasis of this collection, therefore, is on those turning points that redirected contemporary affairs and shaped the modern world - not only geopolitically but also in the experience of everyday life from its practical exigencies to its highest achievements. Each chronologically ordered essay lists the event’s most precise date of occurrence; a capsule summary of the event’s importance; the category or categories of the event (from arts to wars); the geographical locale (both contemporary and modern place-names); a list of Key Figures including name, birth and death years, regional dates or terms of office, and brief descriptors of their roles; a chronological Summary of Event; an assessment of the event’s historical Significance; a fully annotated Further Reading section listing sources for additional study; and cross-references to other essays of interest. The essays have an average length of 1,600 words (2-3 pages) and adhere to a uniform format, making it easy to locate key data points. Bibliographies for the old essays have been expanded and updated. All essays are cross-referenced internally, to each other, and externally, to the companion essays in
Great Lives from History: The 18th Century
(simultaneous publication, 2006). Because the set is ordered chronologically, a ‘Keyword List of Contents’ appears in the front matter to both volumes and alphabetically lists all essays, permuted by all keywords in the essay’s title, to assist in locating events by name.