Who Was Alive in 1776

VoltaireAge 82

1694–1778 · Philosophy & Thought

Enlightenment writer and philosopher

Benjamin FranklinAge 70

1706–1790 · Science & Invention

Founding Father, electricity experiments

Carl LinnaeusAge 69

1707–1778 · Science & Invention

Father of modern taxonomy

Immanuel KantAge 52

1724–1804 · Philosophy & Thought

Critique of Pure Reason

Captain James CookAge 48

1728–1779 · Exploration

Mapped the Pacific, reached Australia

Catherine the GreatAge 47

1729–1796 · Politics & Leadership

Empress who expanded Russia

George WashingtonAge 44

1732–1799 · Politics & Leadership

First US President

James WattAge 40

1736–1819 · Science & Invention

Improved the steam engine

Thomas JeffersonAge 33

1743–1826 · Politics & Leadership

Author of the Declaration of Independence

Toussaint LouvertureAge 33

1743–1803 · Politics & Leadership

Leader of the Haitian Revolution

Francisco GoyaAge 30

1746–1828 · Art

Spanish Romantic painter

Edward JennerAge 27

1749–1823 · Science & Invention

Pioneer of the smallpox vaccine

Marie AntoinetteAge 21

1755–1793 · Politics & Leadership

Queen of France, executed in the Revolution

Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAge 20

1756–1791 · Music

Musical prodigy, symphonies & operas

Mary WollstonecraftAge 17

1759–1797 · Philosophy & Thought

Vindication of the Rights of Woman, feminist pioneer

HokusaiAge 16

1760–1849 · Art

The Great Wave, Japanese master printmaker

Napoleon BonaparteAge 7

1769–1821 · Politics & Leadership

Emperor of France, military genius

Ludwig van BeethovenAge 6

1770–1827 · Music

Symphonies composed while going deaf

Jane AustenAge 1

1775–1817 · Literature

Pride and Prejudice