18th Century

Research Papers on the 18th Century include many historical, literary, scientific and philosophical characters and events that brought the world into the modern era. Paper Masters will explain the 18th Century and any aspect of the era you need in a custom research paper that includes many of the elements you see below.

The 18th century (1701-1800) was a period of Enlightenment and Revolution. During this period of time, philosophy and science made great strides towards introducing the modern world, industrialism began its rise, but the promise of reason ended in the bloodshed of the Reign of Terror.

In 1707, Great Britain came into being with the Union Treaty between England and Scotland. Britain soon became the dominant European empire, competing with France for world hegemony, establishing the world's greatest navy, and conquering much of North America. Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg in 1703, becoming a model for the enlightened monarch.

18th Century Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was the philosophical and scientific movement of the century, characterized by the work of the following:

• Isaac Newton
• Rene Descartes
• David Hume
• Immanuel Kant
• Montesquieu

In the arts, the 18th century was characterized by Bach in the early part of the century, and Mozart in the latter part. Jane Austin, Voltaire, Jonathan Swift, and Daniel Defoe all published during the 18th century.

In 1775, the American colonies rebelled against Great Britain, establishing the first modern democracy with the American Revolution. In 1789, the French rose up against Louis XVI. While the French Revolution began under Enlightenment principles, by 1794 it had erupted into mass bloodshed. The Reign of Terror was finally ended with Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to power in 1799.