Isaac Newton died on 20 March 1727 in Kensington, aged 84. An English mathematician and physicist, Newton is one of the most influential scientists in history. His Principia, published in 1687, set out the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, which explained the orbits of the planets and the tides with the same mathematics. He developed calculus, which he also discovered independently of Leibniz, leading to a bitter priority dispute, and he made major contributions to optics, including the study of white light and the design of a reflecting telescope. He was a professor at Cambridge, later Master of the Royal Mint and president of the Royal Society.
Before and after
- 28 January 1725Death of Peter the Great
- 2 April 1725Birth of Giacomo Casanova
- 28 October 1726Publication of Gulliver's Travels
- 1727Founding of Palmer
- 20 March 1727Death of Isaac Newton
- 10 February 1728Birth of Peter III of Russia
- 27 October 1728Birth of James Cook
- 1729Founding of Karachi
- 12 January 1729Birth of Edmund Burke
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The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.