The Scottish Enlightenment
Introduction
Below you will find a timeline based upon the Scottish Enlightenment from 1707-1800, this was the period in 18th century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century, Scotland had a network of parish schools in the Lowlands and five universities. The Enlightenment culture was based on close readings of new books, and intense discussions took place daily at such intellectual gathering places in Edinburgh as The Select Society and, later, The Poker Club as well as within Scotland’s ancient universities such as St Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen/
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1716
Rural hardship gets worse and disabled people feature highly amongst the new homeless class of rural...

1718
Paupers in Liverpool are made to wear a special badge so that the same person is not helped twice, w...

1719
Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), one of the most successful women artists of any era, is commissioned t...


1720
One of the earliest recorded workhouses, “the workhouse called Paul’s work”, is known to have ...

1722
Janet Horne, targeted for giving birth to a disabled child, is the last witch to be burned in Scotla...

1731
In this year was the birth of John Walker (1731–1803) Natural Historian, and The Town’s Hospital...

1739
A Foundling Hospital is set up in London following reports that “the unwanted children of the poor...
1740
In this year was the birth of James Boswell, Lawyer, Biographer and Diarist. Also, a contract betwe...
1741
Birth of the Poet, Lyricist and Muir ale house keeper, Isabel Pagan (c.1741 –1821). “A spirited ...
1743
The Edinburgh Charity Workhouse in Port Bristo opens and is financed by voluntary subscriptions. Fun...
1746
Birth of Hokiichi Hanawa, Son of a humble farmer, Hanawa loses his sight in early childhood but beco...

1750
Two significant births in this year, with the birth of Robert Fergusson (1750 – 1774) a poet, and ...


1755
Samuel Heinicke establishes the first oral school for deaf children in the world in Germany, whilst ...



1761
Edinburgh’s West Kirk parish opens the Canongate Charity workhouse at the east side of Tollbooth W...

1762
Land tenure reform leads to the Highland Clearances and massive emigration for several decades....



1766
The arrival of Europeans in the Americas has a major impact on countries like Brazil. In 1766, the f...

1770
Birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven. Already deaf when he composes his 9th symphony, Beethoven relies on v...


1773
During his famous journey to the ‘Western Islands of Scotland’ Dr Samuel Johnson visits "a colle...

1775
Catherine the Great issues a decree in Russia establishing social service committees and encouraging...


1781
The Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary is founded by Mrs. Susan Carnegie of Charleton...


1785
There is an expansion in private ‘lunatic asylums’ across Scotland. Mrs Stodart, near the foot o...

1790
The Enclosure Acts in England ‘privatise’ common land and force impoverished rural labourers int...

1792
Thomas Muir, lawyer and political activist, charged with sedition and sentenced to 14 years transpor...

1793
The Edinburgh Asylum for the Relief of the Indigent and Industrious Blinde, is established by The Re...

1794
Joseph Gerrald, Political Reformer, charged with sedition and sentenced to 14 years transportation t...

1795
Birth of Frances Wright (1795 – 1852) lecturer, writer, freethinker, feminist, slavery abolitionis...
1796
The Tuke family open a new asylum in York which challenges the orthodox and widespread treatment and...

1796
In this year, the Smallpox vaccination is discovered by Edward Jenner, whilst there is an estimated ...
