Early Modern
Blackbeard (1718): The Pirate's Last Stand at Ocracoke Inlet
Blackbeard and several of his crew were killed by a Royal Navy boarding party under Lieutenant Robert Maynard; most survivors were later hanged in Virginia.
Region
Americas
Early Modern
Great Northern Expedition (1733-1743): Bering Reaches Alaska
The expedition mapped most of Russia's Arctic coast and reached north-western America in 1741, but Bering died on Bering Island after his ship was wrecked.
Early Modern
Founding of Georgia (1733): Oglethorpe's Colony at Savannah
The Trustees' colony of Georgia was established at Savannah, the last of Britain's thirteen mainland colonies, with a planned town and an early ban on slavery that was lifted in 1751.
Early Modern
First Great Awakening (1730s–1740s): Revival in the Colonies
The revivals divided established churches, boosted evangelical denominations, founded new colleges and encouraged a more personal, voluntary style of religion in colonial America.
Early Modern
Trial of John Peter Zenger (1735): Press Freedom in New York
The jury found Zenger not guilty of seditious libel, a landmark for the idea that truth should be a defence and for freedom of the press in America.
Early Modern
Stono Rebellion (1739): Largest Slave Revolt in British America
The revolt was crushed within a day; about 21-25 colonists and at least 35-50 rebels died, and South Carolina passed the restrictive Negro Act of 1740.
Early Modern
Battle of Cartagena de Indias (1741): Blas de Lezo Holds Firm
Spanish victory; the British expedition withdrew after failing to take the city and losing thousands of men, mostly to disease.
Early Modern
New York Conspiracy of 1741: Fires, Panic and Executions
After months of trials, 30 Black men and 4 white people were executed and more than 70 Black people were transported out of the colony.
Early Modern
Benjamin Franklin's Kite Experiment (1752): Taming Lightning
The experiments of 1752 showed that lightning is an electrical discharge and led to the spread of the lightning rod.
Early Modern
Jumonville Glen and Fort Necessity (1754): Washington's First War
Washington's ambush killed Jumonville and nine or more of his men; on 3 July 1754 Washington surrendered Fort Necessity, and the clashes helped start the French and Indian War.
Early Modern
French and Indian War (1754–1763): Struggle for North America
British victory; by the Treaty of Paris of 1763 France gave up Canada and its lands east of the Mississippi, and Spain ceded Florida to Britain.
Early Modern
Braddock Expedition (1755): Disaster at the Monongahela
French and Native victory; about two-thirds of Braddock's column were killed or wounded, Braddock died of his wounds and the expedition against Fort Duquesne collapsed.