1786 Facts for Kids

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	17th century – 18th century – 19th century
Decades:	1750s 1760s 1770s – 1780s – 1790s 1800s 1810s
Years:	1783 1784 1785 – 1786 – 1787 1788 1789

The year 1786 was a time of important changes and new beginnings around the world. People explored new places, new countries were being formed, and new ideas about how societies should work were taking shape. This year saw significant events in Europe and the Americas, from scientific achievements to political uprisings and the founding of new settlements.

Key Events of 1786
- Big Changes Around the World
- New Lands and New Ideas
Notable Births of 1786
Notable Deaths of 1786
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Key Events of 1786

Big Changes Around the World

May 21 – A famous court case known as the "Necklace affair" finished in Paris, France. This event involved a very expensive diamond necklace and caused a lot of talk and scandal.
August 8 – For the very first time, two brave climbers, Dr. Michael-Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat, successfully reached the top of Mont Blanc. This is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe.
August 29 – A protest by farmers, called Shays' Rebellion, began in the United States. Farmers were unhappy about their debts and taxes, and they took action against the government.
September 2 – A strong hurricane hit parts of England, causing damage and disruption.
November 7 – The oldest group for music in the United States was started. It was called the Stoughton Musical Society.
November 30 – Peter Leopold Joseph, who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany (a region in Italy), made a big change. He passed a law that made his country the first state to stop using the death penalty. Because of this, November 30 is now celebrated as Cities for Life Day in many cities worldwide.
December 4 – The Mission Santa Barbara was founded by Father Fermín Francisco de Lasuén. This became the tenth mission in the chain of California missions. These missions were important settlements built by Spain.

New Lands and New Ideas

Robert Burns, a famous Scottish poet, published his book of poems called Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect.
Francis Light gained control of the island of Penang for the British East India Company. He got it from the Sultan of Kedah. This made Penang the first British colony in Southeast Asia.
A treaty between Spain and Britain officially gave Belize to Britain.
The first ship carrying people who had been found guilty of crimes left Britain for Botany Bay, Australia. Out of 1,138 people on board, 820 were convicts. They were sent to help establish a new colony.
Trade with Iceland was opened up to all traders from Denmark and Norway. This meant more goods could be bought and sold.
The famous opera "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart was performed for the first time in Vienna, Austria.
Goethe, a well-known German writer, started his "Italian Journey." He traveled through Italy from September to December, which later inspired his writings.

Notable Births of 1786

Many important people were born in 1786 who would go on to shape history.

January 8 – Nicholas Biddle, who later became the President of the Second Bank of the United States.
February 24 – Wilhelm Grimm, a German expert in languages and folklore. He is famous for collecting fairy tales with his brother.
June 13 – Winfield Scott, an American general and a candidate for President.
August 17 – David "Davy" Crockett, a famous American frontiersman and folk hero.
August 25 – King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who ruled a part of Germany.
September 18 – King Christian VIII of Denmark, who later became king of Denmark.

Notable Deaths of 1786

The year 1786 also saw the passing of several influential figures.

February 22 – Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish chemist who discovered many chemical elements.
August 17 – Frederick II of Prussia, also known as Frederick the Great, a powerful king who transformed Prussia into a major European power.