In the news1766
State monopolies on consumer goods introduced
A new tax and excise ordinance in 1766 created state monopolies on items including tobacco, coffee, and porcelain.
2 Oct 1764
6 facts1 source
2 Oct 1764
Born
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In the news1766
A new tax and excise ordinance in 1766 created state monopolies on items including tobacco, coffee, and porcelain.
What people wore
Noble Men Preferred Wigs Over Beards
In the 18th century, noble men famously wore wigs and makeup, while facial hair was strictly shunned for most men, marking a major departure from later masculine standards.
Getting around
Dangers and Hardships of 18th-Century Travel
Travel was often physically demanding and dangerous, with carriages that were frequently uncomfortably sprung or unsprung, causing travelers to suffer from motion sickness or injury. Due to the poor state of roads and the threat of highwaymen, travelers often carried weapons or avoided unnecessary trips, with some prominent figures never leaving their home region.
Around the world · 1769–1776Watt’s steam engine. James Watt’s much more efficient steam engine, patented in 1769, powered the mills and mines of the Industrial Revolution.
In the news1756–1763
During the Seven Years' War, some 160,000 Prussian soldiers died in battle or from disease, devastating the population.
Music
Popular instruments and dances for festivals
In the late 18th century, common people enjoyed dancing to instruments such as the violin, clarinet, horn, bass, hammered dulcimer, and bagpipe, often played by small groups at fairs, weddings, and festivals.
Daily life
Open Hearth Cooking and Pump Well Water
Cooking took place in the living room over an open fireplace or a masonry hearth with a recessed grate, using wood or brown coal for fuel. Drinking water was typically sourced from communal pump wells located in the village center.