| 1607–1700 | North America, UK [food and drink] | Fruits introduced to the North American colonies from England include apples, which adapt well in New England, and peaches, which grow easily in Virginia and other warmer regions. Native vegetables like pumpkins, squash, and beans are favoured over European vegetables. |
| 1640–1700 | North America [literature and language] | Literacy rates in the colonies, particularly in New England, are high relative to those in the Old World. Shipton, New England has a 95% literacy rate; males in Virginia have a literacy rate between 54% and 60%. |
| 1667–1685 | France [law and government] | A substantial reform of French law takes place with the introduction of a new Civil Code, the Code Louis, in 1667. It is followed by the Criminal Code in 1670, the Maritime Code in 1672, the Commercial Code in 1673, and the Code Noir in 1685, which caters for slaves in the colonies. It remains the basis of French law until the Code Napoléon is introduced in 1804. |
| 1679 | France [biology] | French Huguenot refugee Denis Papin makes a ‘steam digester’ – an early form of pressure cooker – for softening bones, and demonstrates it to the Royal Society in England. A weighted valve allows pressure to build up to a predetermined level and is the forerunner of the later safety valve. The sytem is also used for the autoclave. |
| 1679 | [maths] | German mathematician Gottfried von Leibniz introduces binary arithmetic (a number system to the base two), in which only two symbols are used to represent all numbers. It will eventually be adopted for use in digital computers. |
| 1679 | India, Mogul Empire [religious freedom] | A period of intense persecution of Hindus in India is ushered in when the Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb re-imposes a poll tax on non-Muslims. Subsequently, he tries to oust all non-Muslims from central and local government and destroys many Hindu places of worship. He also launches a jihad (holy war) against the Maratha kingdom. |
| 5 February 1679 | France, Holy Roman Empire [treaties] | The final Peace Treaty of Nijmegen is signed by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and King Louis XIV of France. By its terms, France gives up the fortress of Philippsburg but retains Freiburg. Additionally, Duke Charles of Lorraine is restored to his territories in Lorraine. However, the French retain Longwy and Nancy as well as military access roads in the territory. Charles refuses to accept these terms and as a result Lorraine remains under French occupation. |
| 29 June 1679 | Brandenburg, Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Sweden [treaties] | As a result of the European peace wrought by the Nijmegen treaties and to avoid a French invasion of his territories, Frederick William, the Great Elector of Brandenburg is forced to sign the Peace of St Germain. It ends the war with Sweden and by its terms Brandenburg loses all conquests in Swedish Pomerania, except some insubstantial territories on the right bank of the River Oder. |
| 26 September 1679 | Sweden, Denmark-Norway [treaties] | The Treaty of Lund concludes the war between Denmark and Sweden. Its terms reiterate an earlier peace imposed on the Danes by King Louis XIV of France at Fontainebleau, France, on 29 June, by which all conquered territories are returned to their original owners. The treaty also contains secret articles in which both partners promise not to make any alliances without the other's knowledge. |
| 4 December 1679 | England [births and deaths] | Thomas Hobbes, major English philosopher and political theorist, whose best-known work is Leviathan (1651), dies at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, England (91). |
