Who Was Alive in 1731

Antonio VivaldiAge 53

1678–1741 · Music

The Four Seasons

Johann Sebastian BachAge 46

1685–1750 · Music

Master of Baroque composition

George Frideric HandelAge 46

1685–1759 · Music

Messiah oratorio

VoltaireAge 37

1694–1778 · Philosophy & Thought

Enlightenment writer and philosopher

Benjamin FranklinAge 25

1706–1790 · Science & Invention

Founding Father, electricity experiments

Carl LinnaeusAge 24

1707–1778 · Science & Invention

Father of modern taxonomy

Immanuel KantAge 7

1724–1804 · Philosophy & Thought

Critique of Pure Reason

Captain James CookAge 3

1728–1779 · Exploration

Mapped the Pacific, reached Australia

Catherine the GreatAge 2

1729–1796 · Politics & Leadership

Empress who expanded Russia