1712
June 28: Jean-Jacques Rousseau born in Geneva.
1749
October: The Academy of Dijon proposes the topic, “Has the restoration of the sciences and arts tended to purify morals?” for its prize competition. Rousseau reads the announcement in the Mercury of France while walking to Vincennes to visit Diderot, who has been imprisoned there. His response to the question becomes the First Discourse.
1755
Publication of the Discourse on the Origins of Inequality and “Political Economy.”
1761
January: Publication and immediate success of Julie, or the New Heloise.
1762
April: Publication of the Social Contract.
May: Publication of Emile.
Night of June 8–9: Rousseau learns of the certainty of legal action against him resulting from the condemnation of Emile by the Parlement of Paris. He flees France on the same day that the warrant is issued for his arrest.
June 19: Emile and the Social Contract are burned at Geneva and a warrant is issued for Rousseau’s arrest.
July: Rousseau arrives at Môtiers and requests permission from Frederick the Great to reside there.
August 28: Publication of Archbishop de Beaumont’s Pastoral Letter condemning Emile.
November 18: Rousseau dates his Letter to Christophe de Beaumont.
1763
March: Publication of the Letter to Beaumont.
May 12: Rousseau renounces his Genevan citizenship.
September–October: Publication in Geneva of the Letters Written from the Country by Procurator General Tronchin. These letters condemn the Social Contract and Emile.
1764
December: Publication of the Letters Written from the Mountain.
December 27: Publication in Geneva of the Sentiment des citoyens (almost certainly written by Voltaire). This work attacks Rousseau and reveals his abandonment of his children.
1765
Letters Written from the Mountain burned in numerous European cities.
Summer: Populace stirred up against Rousseau by Pierre Boy de la Tour among others.
August 31: Rousseau sends the manuscript of the Vision of Pierre of the Mountain to Du Peyrou.
September 6: Rousseau’s house stoned following sermons directed against him by the Pastor Montmollin.
September 15: Du Peyrou sends Rousseau the first printed copies of the Vision.
1766
January 13: Rousseau arrives in London accompanied by David Hume.
1767
May 21: Rousseau leaves England to return to France.
1778
July 2: Rousseau dies at Ermenonville.