1709 facts for kids

The year 1709 was a time of important events around the world. New inventions changed how things were made, and big battles shaped countries. People also explored new places and famous writers were born. Let's look at some of the key things that happened in 1709.

Major Events of 1709

New Inventions and Discoveries

• On January 10, a man named Abraham Darby I made a big change in how metal was produced. In Shropshire, England, he successfully used a special type of fuel called coke to make cast iron at his Coalbrookdale blast furnace. This was a huge step forward for making strong metal!

Exciting Celebrations and Rescues

• In February, a fun festival called Mardi Gras was celebrated in Mobile, which was then the capital of French Louisiana. This celebration was known as Masque de la Mobile. Mobile later moved its location in 1711.
• On February 2, an amazing rescue happened! A sailor named Alexander Selkirk was saved from a lonely, deserted island where he had been shipwrecked. His incredible story later inspired the famous book Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.

Big Battles and New Cities

The Battle of Poltava on July 8, 1709.

• On July 8 (using the modern calendar), a very important fight called the Battle of Poltava took place in the Ukraine. In this battle, Peter I of Russia won a major victory against Charles XII of Sweden.
• On September 11, another big battle happened, known as the Battle of Malplaquet. In this fight, the armies of Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Austria worked together to defeat France.
• On October 12, a new city was officially started! This was the city of Chihuahua in Mexico.

Journeys and New Homes

• On December 25, ten ships left London, England, heading for the New York colony in America. These ships carried more than 4,000 people who were looking for new lives in the colony.

Famous People Born in 1709

Many important people who would later become famous were born in 1709. Here are some of them:

• February 24 – Jacques de Vaucanson, a French inventor who created amazing machines.
• March 10 – Georg Steller, a German naturalist who studied plants and animals.
• August 7 – Jean-Jacques Lefranc, marquis de Pompignan, a French poet.
• August 8 – Tokugawa Ietsugu, who became the 7th leader of the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan.
• September 18 – Samuel Johnson, a famous English writer and lexicographer (someone who writes dictionaries).
• November 2 – Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, a royal princess.
• December 18 – Elizabeth of Russia, who later became the Empress of Russia.
• John Cleland, an English novelist.
• Charles Collé, a French writer of plays.

See also

In Spanish: 1709 para niños