Sir Isaac Newton

Fire in London. Outbreak of plague drives Newton to retire to his mother's home in Woolsthorpe. Newton conducts prism experiments, discovers spectrum of light; works out his system of "fluxions," precursor of modern calculus; begins to consider the idea of gravity

Newton appointed Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Trinity, a position he will hold for the next thirty-four years

Newton works on the mathematics of gravitation in his home in Cambridge.

Newton elected to the Royal Society

Newton's paper on optics and his prism experiments sent to the Society. Rivalry with Hooke begins.

Hooke writes book in which he suggests existence of "attractive powers," akin to gravity.

Death of Hannah Newton

Hooke discusses principle of inverse squares with Christopher Wren and Halley

Halley goes to visit Newton in Cambridge, where they discuss the principle inverse squares and its relationship with planetary orbits

Newton completes his calculations on gravity and shares them with Halley, who urges him to publish.

Newton sends a brief treatise, Propositiones de Motu, to the Royal Society, outlining his findings

Newton presents the first book of the Principia to the Royal Society

Publication of the complete Principia

Glorious Revolution in England. James II flees to France, William and Mary take the throne

Newton elected as Cambridge's representative to Parliament

Newton's "Black Year." He is plagued by depression and insomnia, and apparently suffers a nervous breakdown in September.

Newton appointed warden of the Mint, to oversee the implementation of a new currency. He leaves Cambridge and moves to London

Newton named master of the Mint.

Death of Hooke; Newton elected President of the Royal Society

Publication of Opticks; beginning of feud with Leibniz.

Newton knighted by Queen Anne.

Royal Society commission, under Newton's direction, investigates the competing claims of Leibniz and Newton to having developed calculus, and decides in favor of Newton.

Second edition of the Principia published.

Death of Leibniz

Third edition of the Principia published; all reference to Leibniz has been removed.

Death of Sir Isaac Newton, in London.