Chronology of events: Student

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

January 1, 1600 Johan Sems and Jan Pieters Dou's Practijck des lantmetens published
January 1, 1633 Adrian Metius' Manuale arithmeticae & geometrice practicae published
January 1, 1641 Began attending school in Warmond
January 1, 1646 Apprenticed with his uncle in Benthuizen
January 1, 1648 Apprenticed at 16 in Amsterdam to Scottish linen merchant William Davidson
January 1, 1652 mentor William Davidson remarried and moved to Nieuwe Eylant
May 5, 1653 Got power of attorney for William Davidson during first Anglo-Dutch war (1652-54)
March 26, 1661 mentor Dr. Cornelis 's Gravesande appointed City anatomist
January 1, 1663 Christiaen Anhaltin's School-Boeck van de Wyn-Royeryen published
January 1, 1665 Robert Hooke's Micrographia published
February 4, 1669 Certified as a surveyor after passing the oral examination
June 12, 1672 mentor Reinier de Graaf married Maria van Dijck
August 8, 1673 mentor Constantijn Huygens wrote to Robert Hooke about Leeuwenhoek as "exceedingly curious and industrious"
August 21, 1673 mentor Reinier de Graaf buried
January 22, 1677 mentor Jacob Spoors buried
September 5, 1677 mentor Henry Oldenburg died in London
March 28, 1687 mentor Constantijn Huygens died
February 1, 1692 Robert Hooke called Leeuwenhoek the microscope's "single votary"
March 3, 1703 Robert Hooke died