Modern world timeline By 161168 Jul 4, 1776 American Decloration Of Independence The American Decloration Of Independence was a statement adopted by the continental congress on July 4 1776 Feb 7, 1785 Edmund Cartwright patents a power loom Feb 7, 1789 French Decloration of the rights of man and citizen Feb 7, 1791 Tom Paine's "The Rights Of Man" is published Feb 7, 1804 First steam locomotive is operating at Pennydarren, Wales Feb 7, 1868 Meiji (‘enlightened rule’) Restoration in Japan; feudalism is abandoned and capitalism embraced Feb 7, 1871 German unifcation after the Franco-Prussian War leading to Germany’s rise as an imperial power Feb 7, 1883 Brooklyn Bridge, New York is opened Feb 7, 1899 Guglielmo Marconi invents the wireless (radio) Feb 7, 1905 Russo-Japanese War; Japan defeats Russia