18th Century - Browse the 18th Century era within the In Our Time archive.
ALL THE MP3'S ARE
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01hgf1b
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PAGE 1 OF 4
· The Federalist Papers
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hamilton, Madison and Jay's urgings for a US Constitution.
12 Oct 2023
50:41
· Linnaeus
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and legacy of the pioneering Swedish botanist.
20 Apr 2023
50:19
· Mercantilism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea which dominated European economies for 300 years.
16 Mar 2023
57:33
· The Irish Rebellion of 1798
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the causes and early consequences of the 1798 rebellion.
08 Dec 2022
55:25
· John Bull
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins and evolution of the satirical everyman figure
30 Jun 2022
53:46
· Olympe de Gouges
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the author of The Declaration of the Rights of Woman, 1791
21 Apr 2022
49:10
· William and Caroline Herschel
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the siblings at the forefront of 18th-century astronomy
11 Nov 2021
50:56
· Edward Gibbon
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
17 Jun 2021
52:22
· Kant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's insight into how we relate to the world around us.
03 Jun 2021
53:17
· Longitude
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea of longitude and the race to calculate it at sea.
13 May 2021
50:28
· The Franco-American Alliance 1778
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the French fight against Britain in America and its impact
22 Apr 2021
50:51
· Pierre-Simon Laplace
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the great French mathematician behind metrication.
08 Apr 2021
48:10
· Emilie du Châtelet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss an astonishing mathematician of the French Enlightenment.
04 Feb 2021
49:50
· John Wesley and Methodism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Wesley's role in the rise of Methodism in the 18th Century
10 Dec 2020
51:32
· The Zong Massacre
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the infamous drowning of enslaved Africans in 1781.
26 Nov 2020
52:04
· Mary Astell
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher Mary Astell (1666 – 1731).
05 Nov 2020
51:34
· Maria Theresa
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the woman who ruled Austria, shaking up the European order
22 Oct 2020
50:37
· The Gin Craze (repeat)
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the cause and impact of the 18th Century gin craze.
02 Apr 2020
· Coffee
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of coffee and its impact
12 Dec 2019
55:11
· Robert Burns
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the poetry, ideas and life of Robert Burns (1759-1796).
24 Oct 2019
52:28
· Rousseau on Education
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Jean-Jacques Rousseau's ideas on the education of children
10 Oct 2019
51:41
· The Gordon Riots
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the causes of the violence of June 1780 and repercussions.
02 May 2019
50:19
· Marie Antoinette
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Austrian princess, guillotined as Queen of France.
08 Nov 2018
49:07
· The Fable of the Bees
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Mandeville's work on the public benefit of private vices.
25 Oct 2018
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Page 2 of 4
· Montesquieu
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss republicanism, despotism and the separation of powers.
14 Jun 2018
49:59
· Germaine de Stael
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and works of the great woman of letters.
16 Nov 2017
49:57
· Kant's Categorical Imperative
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the difference between right and wrong, according to Kant.
21 Sep 2017
49:29
· The Gin Craze
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the cause and impact of the gin craze in the 18th century.
15 Dec 2016
52:06
· John Dalton
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss scientist John Dalton.
27 Oct 2016
45:40
· The Physiocrats
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Physiocrats, important French economic thinkers.
20 Jun 2013
42:01
· Bishop Berkeley
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the 18th-century philosopher George Berkeley.
20 Mar 2014
47:29
· Tristram Shandy
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Laurence Sterne's comic novel Tristram Shandy.
24 Apr 2014
47:25
· The Bluestockings
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the 18th-century Bluestocking Society.
05 Jun 2014
46:32
· The Haitian Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804.
23 Oct 2014
46:41
· The Wealth of Nations
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Adam Smith's economic treatise The Wealth of Nations.
19 Feb 2015
43:00
· Voyages of James Cook
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the voyages of James Cook, as suggested by listeners.
03 Dec 2015
43:00
· Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense, published in 1776.
21 Jan 2016
45:40
· Bedlam
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the early history of Bethlehem Hospital, known as Bedlam.
17 Mar 2016
46:57
· Edmund Burke
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke.
03 Jun 2010
45:00
· Common Sense Philosophy
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss common sense philosophy.
21 Jun 2007
45:00
· Oxygen
Melvyn Bragg discusses the discovery of Oxygen by Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier.
15 Nov 2007
45:00
· Empiricism
Melvyn Bragg examines the 17th century idea that all knowledge arises from experience.
10 Jun 2004
45:00
· Politeness
Melvyn Bragg examines the cultural effect of the eighteenth century idea of Politeness.
30 Sep 2004
45:00
· Electrickery
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the dawn of the age of electricity.
04 Nov 2004
45:00
· Epistolary Literature
Melvyn Bragg discusses epistolary literature from Aphra Benn to Les Liaisons Dangereuses
15 Mar 2007
45:00
· Astronomy and Empire
Melvyn Bragg examines the relationship between astronomy and British Imperial expansion.
04 May 2006
45:00
· Consequences of the Industrial Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the influence of the Industrial Revolution.
30 Dec 2010
45:00
· Catherine the Great
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Empress who transformed and modernized Russia.
23 Feb 2006
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Page 3 of 4
· David Hume
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of the Scottish philosopher David Hume.
06 Oct 2011
42:10
· Faust
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the myth of Faustus and temptation by evil.
23 Dec 2004
45:00
· Goethe
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the great German polymath, Johann Wolfgang Goethe.
06 Apr 2006
45:00
· Goethe and the Science of the Enlightenment
Melvyn Bragg assesses the scientific legacy of the 18th century German poet Goethe.
10 Feb 2000
30:00
· Gothic
Melvyn Bragg examines the origins and significance of the 18th century Gothic movement.
04 Jan 2001
45:00
· Immunisation
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the search for immunisation and its impact on society.
20 Apr 2006
45:00
· Johnson
The life and work of Samuel Johnson, a giant of 18th century literature.
27 Oct 2005
45:00
· The Arabian Nights
Melvyn Bragg discusses the myths, tales and legends of the Arabian Nights.
18 Oct 2007
45:00
· Lamarck and Natural Selection
Melvyn Bragg discusses Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the 18th century French precursor to Darwin.
26 Dec 2003
45:00
· The Baroque Movement
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the culture of the Baroque.
20 Nov 2008
45:00
· The Building of St Petersburg
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the building of St Petersburg.
23 Apr 2009
45:00
· Malthusianism
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Malthusianism.
23 Jun 2011
42:01
· Mary Wollstonecraft
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft.
31 Dec 2009
45:00
· The East India Company
The history of the private trading company that helped forge the British Empire.
26 Jun 2003
45:00
· The Enclosures of the 18th Century
Melvyn Bragg examines the enclosure movement that fenced in the British countryside.
01 May 2008
45:00
· Materialism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Materialism in Philosophy.
24 Apr 2008
45:00
· Pope
The life and work of the brilliant, acerbic and unpopular poet Alexander Pope.
09 Nov 2006
45:00
· Robinson Crusoe
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Daniel Defoe's seminal novel Robinson Crusoe.
22 Dec 2011
42:04
· Sensibility
Melvyn Bragg examines the ideas behind the 18th century literary cult of sensibility.
03 Jan 2002
45:00
· Slavery and Empire
Melvyn Bragg examines British imperialism and its captives, both slaves and Britons.
17 Oct 2002
45:00
· Spinoza
Melvyn Bragg discusses the Dutch, Jewish and Christian Philosopher, Baruch Spinoza.
03 May 2007
45:00
· The Lunar Society
Melvyn Bragg examines an 18th century group of pioneering scientists and engineers.
05 Jun 2003
45:00
· Sturm und Drang
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the German artistic movement known as Sturm und Drang.
14 Oct 2010
45:00
· Swift's A Modest Proposal
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Jonathan Swift's satirical 1729 pamphlet A Modest Proposal
29 Jan 2009
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Page 4 of 4
· The Mughal Empire
Melvyn Bragg and guests examine how much the British Raj owed to the Mughal Emperors.
26 Feb 2004
45:00
· The Needham Question
Melvyn Bragg examines the Needham Question; why Europe, not China made modern technology.
19 Oct 2006
45:00
· Taste
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 18th century obsession with taste.
25 Oct 2007
45:00
· Tea
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss tea, the first truly global commodity.
29 Apr 2004
2:30:00
· The Observatory at Jaipur
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the observatory at Jaipur.
19 Feb 2009
45:00
· The Prelude
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss William Wordsworth’s poem, The Prelude.
22 Nov 2007
45:00
· The Age of Doubt
Melvyn Bragg examines the spread of religious doubt over the last three centuries.
09 Mar 2000
30:00
· The Royal Society and British Science: Episode 2 In Our Time: The Royal Society and British Science
How Newton tested the lines between government-funded research and public access.
05 Jan 2010
45:00
· The Scriblerus Club
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the satirical 18th century Scriblerus Club.
09 Jun 2005
45:00
· The Social Contract
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Social Contract; a key idea in political philosophy.
07 Feb 2008
45:00
· The Encyclopédie
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the great achievements of the Enlightenment.
26 Oct 2006
45:00
· The Enlightenment in Scotland
Melvyn Bragg examines the emergence and impact of the Scottish Enlightenment.
05 Dec 2002
45:00
· The French Revolution's Legacy
The impact and legacy of the French Revolution on European culture and politics.
14 Jun 2001
45:00
· The French Revolution's reign of terror
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the reign of terror during the French Revolution.
26 May 2005
45:00
· The Grand Tour
The origins and cultural impact of 18th century tourism.
30 May 2002
45:00
· The Industrial Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Industrial Revolution.
23 Dec 2010
45:00
· The Jacobite Rebellion
Melvyn Bragg examines the Stuart dynasty's final attempt to reclaim the throne of England.
08 May 2003
45:00
· The South Sea Bubble
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the South Sea Bubble of the early 18th century.
20 Dec 2012
41:52
· The Sublime
Melvyn Bragg explores a transcendental idea that took hold on the Age of Enlightenment.
12 Feb 2004
45:00
· Vitalism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 18th and 19th century quest for the spark of life.
16 Oct 2008
45:00
· Voltaire's Candide
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Voltaire's satirical novel Candide, published in 1759.
03 May 2012
42:07
· Washington and the American Revolution
Melvyn Bragg examines the first President of the US and what drove him to revolution.
24 Jun 2004
45:00
· William Hazlitt
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and works of the essayist William Hazlitt.
08 Apr 2010
45:00
· Women and Enlightenment Science
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the role played by women in Enlightenment science.
04 Nov 2010
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