* 1740 – Jean Baptiste Camille Canclaux, French general ( d. 1817 )

* 1688 – Frederick William I of Prussia ( d. 1740 )

* 1740 – Pope Pius VII ( d. 1823 )

* 1740 – Matthias Claudius, German poet ( d. 1815 )

The last maker of the family was Nicolo's son, Girolamo Amati, known as Hieronymus II ( February 26, 1649 – February 21, 1740 ).

* 1740 – Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, English merchant banker ( d. 1810 )

* 1752 – Start of Konbaung-Hanthawaddy War, a new phase in Burmese Civil War ( 1740 – 1757 )

* 1740 – War of Jenkin's Ear: Three British ships capture the Spanish third-rate Princesa.

* 1740 – Samuel Arnold, English composer and organist ( d. 1802 )

* 1652 – Pope Clement XII ( d. 1740 )

In 1740, Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great ( 1740 – 1786 ), came to power.

( 1739 – 1740 )

Meanwhile, under the direction of Benedict XIV ( pope 1740 – 1758 ), a special congregation collected much material for an official revision, but nothing was published.

1710 – 14 October 1740 ) was an Italian singer, harpsichordist, and composer whose works bridge the Baroque and Classical periods.

* 1814 – Marquis de Sade, French writer ( b. 1740 )

In 1757, he married Mary ( Polly ) Howard ( 1740 – 1770 ).

Elias Boudinot ( ; May 2, 1740 – October 24, 1821 ) was a lawyer and statesman from Elizabeth, New Jersey who was a delegate to the Continental Congress and was elected as a U. S. Congressman for New Jersey following the American Revolutionary War.

* 1740 – Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal ( b. 1667 )

* 1693 – Empress Anna of Russia ( d. 1740 )

* 1740 – Giambattista Bodoni, Italian publisher and engraver ( d. 1813 )

The Royal Navy captured a handful of the new French frigates during the War of the Austrian Succession ( 1740 – 1748 ) and were impressed by them, particularly for their inshore handling capabilities.

Frederick William I () ( 14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740 ) was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg ( as Frederick William II ) from 1713 until his death.

* Arthur Lee ( diplomat ) ( 1740 – 1792 ), U. S. envoy to France

His brothers, all also active within the Continental Congress, were Arthur Lee ( 1740 – 1792 ), Francis Lightfoot Lee ( 1734 – 1797 ) and Richard Henry Lee ( 1732 – 1794 ).

Dr. Arthur Lee ( 20 December 1740 – 12 December 1792 ) was an American diplomat during the American Revolutionary War.

William Lee ( 1739 – 95 ) and Dr. Arthur Lee ( 1740 – 92 ) were both diplomats to England during the turbulent struggle for American independence.

Younger siblings included Alice Lee ( 1736 – 1818 ), who married American Chief Physician William Shippen, Jr. and diplomats William Lee ( b. 1739, d. 1795 ) and Arthur Lee ( b. 1740, d. 1792 ).

Also following her to America was her brother, William Lee ( 1740 – 1784 ); Nancy Lee, her niece ; James Whittaker ( 1751 – 1787 ), who had been brought up by Mother Ann and was probably related to her ; John Hocknell ( 1723 – 1799 ), who provided the funds for the trip ; his son, Richard ; and James Shepherd and Mary Partington.

Charles Lee Lewes ( 1740 – 13 July 1803 ) was an English actor.

* 1737 – 1740: Charles Lee

* John Young ( naval officer ) ( c. 1740 – 1781 ), American sailor

* 1740 – Noah Phelps, American Spy ( d. 1809 )

* 1740 – Elias Boudinot, American lawyer and statesman ( d. 1821 )

* 1740 – John Antes, American composer ( d. 1811 )

Throughout the 18th century the Royal Navy gradually gained ascendancy over the French Navy, with victories in the War of Spanish Succession ( 1701 – 1714 ), inconclusive battles in the War of Austrian Succession ( 1740 – 1748 ), victories in the Seven Years ' War ( 1754 – 1763 ), a partial reversal during the American War of Independence ( 1775 – 1783 ), and consolidation into uncontested supremacy during the 19th century from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In 1740, a group of Philadelphians joined together to erect a great preaching hall for the traveling evangelist George Whitefield, who toured the American colonies delivering open air sermons.

** William Grayson, American Continental Congressman and United States Senator for Virginia ( b. 1740 )

* David Bushnell ( 1740 – 1824 ), American inventor who built the first submarine ever used in combat.

* Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. ( 1740 – 1809 ), General George Washington's secretary during the American Revolution, later eight-term governor of the state.

The community was first settled by a Mr. Thatcher about 1740 and was later named for Charles Sergeant, an American Revolutionary War soldier.

The Abraham Staats House ( c. 1740 ), located on the south side of Main Street, served as the headquarters of Baron Von Steuben during the American Revolutionary War., The house today is privately owned.

Enfield is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina founded in 1740 and it is a predominantly African American town.

; 1740: Parliament of Great Britain passes a general act permitting Jews to be naturalized in the American colonies.

In the summer of 1740, Lawrence received a coveted officer's commission in the Regular British Army, and made preparations to go off to war in the Caribbean with the newly formed American Regiment.

* George Henry Loskiel, ( 1740 – 1814 ), born in Angermuende in Courland, Moravian clergyman who obtained complete separation of the European and American branches of the church.

* Thomas Knowlton ( 1740 – 1776 ), colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolution

Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. ( March 26, 1740 – August 7, 1809 ) was an American politician who served as the second Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

They mocked Newcastle for his perceived lack of vision, ignoring the complex nature of European politics and Britain's relationship with Hanover and the fact that as early as 1740 Newcastle had been aware of the expanding power of the American colonies.

* Elias Boudinot ( 1740 – 1821 ), American politician

* Elias Boudinot ( 1740 – 1821 ) American revolutionary and President of the Continental Congress.

David Bushnell ( 1740 – 1824 ), of Westbrook, Connecticut, was an American inventor during the Revolutionary War.

Robert Alexander ( c. 1740 – 1805 ) was an American planter, lawyer, and Tory political leader during the American Revolution.