The 1760s (pronounced "seventeen-sixties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1760, and ended on December 31, 1769.
Marked by great upheavals on culture, technology, and diplomacy, the 1760s was a transitional decade that effectively brought on the modern era from Baroqueism.
The Seven Years' War – arguably the most widespread conflict of its time – carried trends of imperialism outside of European reaches, where it would head on to countless territories (mainly in Asia and Africa) for decades to come under colonialism.
From top left, clockwise: English Explorer
James Cook
commenced
his first voyage
around the world, becoming the first known Europeans to reach the east coast of Australia; victory at the
Battle of Buxar
and subsequent
Treaty of Allahabad
marked start of the political and constitutional involvement
East India Company
and the beginning of British rule in India; the Dutch ship, the
Meermin
is taken over by the slaves it was transporting in the
Meermin slave mutiny
;
George III
is
crowned
king of the United Kingdom
and would go on to reign longer than any of his predecessors; French inventor
Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot
built the world's first full-size and working self-propelled mechanical land-vehicle, the "Fardier à vapeur" — effectively the world's first automobile; the
Stamp Act
is passed by the British parliament, required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London. The unpopularity of the Stamp Act, and other such taxes levied by the parliament would contribute to the start of the American revolution;
Leopold Mozart
and his family
toured
Europe allowing their children to experience the full the cosmopolitan musical world which, in
Wolfgang's
case, would continue through further journeys in the following six years, prior to his appointment by the Prince-Archbishop as a court musician; the signing of the
Treaty of Paris
formally ended the Seven Years' War and marked the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe.
Marine chronometer
Map of
India
in 1765 showing territories loyal to the
Marathas
(yellow); and the territories of those loyal to the
Great Mogul
(green)
