1700 By Trevor99666 1701 War of the Spanish Succession begins—the last of Louis XIV's wars for domination of the continent. 1707 United Kingdom of Great Britain formed—England, Wales, and Scotland joined by parliamentary Act of Union. 1755 Great earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal—over 60,000 die. U.S. postal service established. 1756 Seven Years' War (French and Indian Wars in America) (to 1763), 1757 Beginning of British Empire in India as Robert Clive, British commander, defeats Nawab of Bengal at Plassey. 1759 British capture Quebec from French. Voltaire's Candide. Haydn's Symphony No. 1. 1762 Catherine II (“the Great”) becomes czarina of Russia. Jean Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract. Mozart tours Europe as six-year-old prodigy. 1765 James Watt invents the steam engine. Britain imposes the Stamp Act on the American colonists. 1770 The Boston Massacre. 1773 The Boston Tea Party.