Who Was Alive in 1778

VoltaireAge 84

1694–1778 · Philosophy & Thought

Enlightenment writer and philosopher

Benjamin FranklinAge 72

1706–1790 · Science & Invention

Founding Father, electricity experiments

Carl LinnaeusAge 71

1707–1778 · Science & Invention

Father of modern taxonomy

Immanuel KantAge 54

1724–1804 · Philosophy & Thought

Critique of Pure Reason

Captain James CookAge 50

1728–1779 · Exploration

Mapped the Pacific, reached Australia

Catherine the GreatAge 49

1729–1796 · Politics & Leadership

Empress who expanded Russia

George WashingtonAge 46

1732–1799 · Politics & Leadership

First US President

James WattAge 42

1736–1819 · Science & Invention

Improved the steam engine

Thomas JeffersonAge 35

1743–1826 · Politics & Leadership

Author of the Declaration of Independence

Toussaint LouvertureAge 35

1743–1803 · Politics & Leadership

Leader of the Haitian Revolution

Francisco GoyaAge 32

1746–1828 · Art

Spanish Romantic painter

Edward JennerAge 29

1749–1823 · Science & Invention

Pioneer of the smallpox vaccine

Marie AntoinetteAge 23

1755–1793 · Politics & Leadership

Queen of France, executed in the Revolution

Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAge 22

1756–1791 · Music

Musical prodigy, symphonies & operas

Mary WollstonecraftAge 19

1759–1797 · Philosophy & Thought

Vindication of the Rights of Woman, feminist pioneer

HokusaiAge 18

1760–1849 · Art

The Great Wave, Japanese master printmaker

Napoleon BonaparteAge 9

1769–1821 · Politics & Leadership

Emperor of France, military genius

Ludwig van BeethovenAge 8

1770–1827 · Music

Symphonies composed while going deaf

Jane AustenAge 3

1775–1817 · Literature

Pride and Prejudice