18th Century Facts That Will Give You A Glimpse Of Our History

The 18th century began from the 1701s till the 1799s, and it is called the 18th century as there is no zero years.

The general societal life and personal and familial affairs of people saw significant transformations. Improved education for children, paired with the reformation, resulted in a surge in public activity.

There were clearly some clear class divisions and other social issues. But, new innovations in luxury goods, commerce, and industry influenced both recreation and readily accessible professions.

Several style trends also hit the market. This article examines some facts about the 18th century and its impact on personal and socio-economic life. Although there was an obvious divide between the poor and well-off families that could be seen in practically every area of life, there were some places where class was irrelevant.

The 18th century brought about a huge change everywhere and impacted every part of the world. It is known for the facets of revolutionary theory that emerged from the American, Haitian, and French revolutions throughout the 18th century.

Slave trade and human and women trafficking became more widespread around the world during the era. The legality of the monarchy and aristocratic hierarchies, such as the frameworks and ideologies that sustained slavery, was challenged by revolutions. The British Industrial Revolution took place, ushering in a period of tremendous influence on human civilization and the ecosystem.

A great number of people were laborers or merchants. The 'century of lights' and 'century of reason' are other names for this period.

Read on to learn more about the population, economy, and school rules during the 18th century. If you like what you are reading, check out 17th century facts and 1900s facts as well.

Fun Facts About 18th Century Facts

A 100 years is a long time for a plethora of changes and findings. There are many untold myths and legends from the past.

There is quite a lot to say, so we dug deep into history and compiled a list of interesting and amusing events and information that will help you comprehend what life was like in the 18th century. There was really no WIFI or power, as you may be aware.

However, there are a few elements we must remember that have influenced the entire world.

Pikes were no longer used in battle, and the Flintlock Musket became the most popular weapon.

The seven-year conflict was by far the most important.

The world population increased from 603 million to 814 million between 1700-1750.

The United Kingdom of England and Scotland invaded India. The United States of America gained freedom from Great Britain. And so, the very first fleet emerged in Australia.

According to historians, around 1760, a learning pig was taught to do algebra, play games, predict the future, and determine the time.

People loved beer and sodas. Soda was invented by Joseph Priestly, and beer was sold at surprisingly low prices.

In Georgian England, among the most famous card games was whist. It started as a simple pastime for average people. The aristocracy took up the game with the emergence of cafés in London.

At the conclusion of the century, France had a revolution, which resulted in Napoleon's ascension to the throne in the next era.

In 1750, the Jockey Club was created by very powerful people in British society.

The bed bug epidemic was out of control. They had finally been accepted as a part of their daily life. Tragically, bed bugs remain unquestionably the source of many ailments.

The streets of major cities faced poor health conditions; they smelled like a combination of animal manure, human feces, and decaying plant materials.

Facts About 18th Century's Literature

Literature has molded the minds of several people forever. A lot of talented artists or writers back then wrote beautiful literary pieces that still inspire people. There are many books, novels, and poems that are still at the top of the most-read pieces. Let's see what kind of literature was written in the 18th century.

All of this happened after the Charles II restoration, when the royal academy was established in the late 17th century. That is when literature started to record changes.

During this time, literature was frequently regarded as an instrument for the expansion of knowledge. In their endeavors to explain their ideas, writers were frequently found watching the environment.

Human behavior was thought to be a consistent way that could be used to observe and reason to acquire understanding. The Age of Satire was founded in such conditions.

Satire was perhaps the most common literary device used by authors in the period.

Artists were increasingly willing to enlighten the masses via writing, with the aid of satire. Its purpose was to highlight a systemic issue and strive to alter it in a humorous approach while also informing the public.

Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal', in which he tackles and analyses the issue of rising starvation in Ireland, illustrates its power. Studying literature from this century can be challenging at first, because today's audiences are not accustomed to the more traditional manner and polished, exquisite vocabulary that these authors liked.

After a little effort, however, readers will discover that so much of 18th-century writing is a lot of joy to read. In the humor contained in both plays and the newer genre of fiction, we meet all kinds of noble and amusing characters.

Facts About 18th Century's Lifestyle

As time evolves, society also evolves. We adapt to several cultural, medicinal, linguistic, and general living patterns from the past. However, during the 18th century, the lifestyle was a bit unorganized and chaotic due to a lack of cooperation, awareness, and the rich-poor gap. Here are some things that were practiced during that time!

Deodorants were not discovered until about the 1880s, and the majority of people were perfectly content to stink just like pigs for the whole time. Personal hygiene was not followed very religiously.

Body hair was also not groomed by women. Body hair removal had not become popular in many parts of the world before the 1920s.

Dental hygiene consisted of nothing more than a pick and sometimes a napkin to wipe down your gums. Due to vitamin depletion during childbirth, women had very poor oral care compared to males.

Body and head lice had plagued everybody. But have no fear, they had a fantastic remedy: mercury! Mercury was a popular substance in 18th-century Europe.

They started eating it, massaging it on their skin, and drinking it. As there was no modern plumbing or restrooms, most people depended on a chamber pot, which they could leave to sit before it was thrown out the exit door.

As toilet roll wasn't introduced until the late 1800s, people had to make do with whatever they had. The wealthy may well have had the privilege of wiping themselves with linen strips, but the poor used pieces of a rug.

And, when menstrual cycles arrived once a month, ladies had very few choices. Some individuals did use a bit of fabric that they could reuse multiple times.

For ceremonial events in the 18th century, fashionable women dressed in mantua attire. The mantua was a silk or fine wool dress with an exposed front, train, and coordinating underlay.

Men wore a full knee-length coat, a vest, linen shirts with embellishments, as well as linen under. Finally, education wasn't very difficult, but not all children were sent to school. Math, linguistics, science, astronomy, sports, theater, farming, and travel are just a few of the academic subjects covered.

Facts About 18th Century's Discoveries

In the 18th century, a lot changed. A lot of things hadn't been discovered, unlike today. And, there were several new inventions that led to revolutionary alterations. Here is a gist of some of the discoveries that were made during this period.

Eli Whitney built the cotton gin in 1790, and it transformed the cotton industry in the South.

Then, the Farmers' Almanac was first printed in 1792 by Benjamin Banneker. Banneker was the very first colored innovator in the United States.

Another great invention was the Franklin stove, which was invented by Ben Franklin and would be the first one that could keep a house warm well after the fire had gone out.

Next, an inventor named Edmund Cartwright invented the power loom in 1785, and it transformed the textile industry by streamlining the weaving process.

Also, did you know? The Steam Engine of Watt was not designed by him, he simply improved its performance by designing a machine that condensed spent steam in a distinct reservoir from the cylinder chamber.

An important discovery was that long-distance transmission could be accomplished with the optical telegraph. This innovation was the very first reliable, lengthy communication network.

The last invention for this section is the moldboard plow. Thomas Jefferson is the one who enhanced the Moldboard Plow by inventing a stronger moldboard that lasted a long time.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 18th century facts that will give you a glimpse of our history, then why not take a look at 1920s facts or 1930 facts?