1756-63   Seven Years' War (aka "French and Indian War")
1756        foundation of the Catholic Association by Dublin businessmen to press for relief from the penal laws
1760s       emergence of the Patriot party in the Irish parliament
1763        Treaty of Paris transfers New France to Great Britain
1765        Parliament passes the Stamp Act (tariffs on sugar, teas, paint, lead, and paper follow)
1773        colonial protesters stage the Boston Tea Party
1774        Parliament passes the Quebec Act and the Coercive Acts
               first Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia
1775        battles at Lexington and Concord
1776        Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
1778        France enters the war on the side of the Americans
               formation of Volunteer regiments throughout Ireland
               Catholic Relief Act (rights of inheritance and leaseholding)
1779        the Irish Volunteers achieve free trade
1782        Irish Volunteer Convention at Dungannon achieves limited Irish legislative independence
               Catholic Relief Act (land purchase; education)
1783        Treaties of Versailles and Paris
1787        American Constitutional Convention
1789        Louis XVI summons the Estates General; proclamation of the National Assembly
               fall of the Bastille and outbreak of the French Revolution
               Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
1790        Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France
1791        the Constitution of 1791 establishes a limited monarchy in France
               Tone's An Argument on Behalf of the Catholics of Ireland
               foundation of the Society of United Irishmen
               start of slave rebellion in Saint Domingue
               approval of the United States Bill of Rights
1792        outbreak of the War of the First Coalition (France v. Austria, Prussia, and later Britain)
               France abolishes the monarchy, declares a republic, and executes the king
               revival of the Society of the Friends of the People and founding of the London Corresponding Society to promote universal
               manhood suffrage
               first edition of the Northern Star published in Belfast
               Bastille Day celebrations in Belfast involving Volunteers
1793        Britain enters the war against France
               Catholic Relief Act (voting and officeholding) and dissolution of the Catholic Committee
1794        government suppression of the SUI leads the United Irish Society becomes an oath-bound, mass-based secret society
1795        United Irish leader Theobold Wolfe Tone in exile in America
1796        Tone in France
               suppression of Northern Star; arrests of United Irishmen; suspension of habeas corpus
               Hoche expedition to Ireland
1797        government suppression of the SUI
1798        outbreak of United Irish rebellion in Leinster, followed by outbreak of violence in Ulster
               defeat of Wexford insurgents at Vinegar Hill
               General Humbert lands in Ireland
               surrender of Humbert
1804        independence of Republic of Haiti
1808-26   revolutions for independence of Spanish America
1822        Braziliam independence declared and constitutional monarchy established
1824        Federal Republic of Mexico established
1826        Spanish armies withdraw completely from the republics of former Spanish America