1775 CE

The Habsburg monarchy forces the Ottoman Empire to cede Bukovina to its rule. The Habsburg monarchy forces the Ottoman Empire to cede Bukovina. American Revolution: Battle of Montreal – American forces under Brigadier General Richard Montgomery capture Montreal. British General Guy Carleton escapes to Quebec.

In the 1770s, the 18th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

January 17 – Second voyage of James Cook: Captain James Cook takes possession of South Georgia for the Kingdom of Great Britain.source
March 6 – Raghunathrao, Peshwa of the Maratha Empire in India, signs the Treaty of Surat with the British Governor-General Warren Hastings in Bombay ceding the territories of Salsette and Bassein to the British East India Company along with part of the revenues from Surat and Bharuch districts in return for military assistance. This leads to the First Anglo-Maratha War fought between the British and the Marathas, ending with the Treaty of Salbai in 1782.source
April 19 – The American War of Independence begins, at Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts.Canada source
May 10 – The Second Continental Congress meets, elects John Hancock president, raises the Continental Army under George Washington as commander and authorizes the colonies to adopt their own constitutions.source
June 14 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress names George Washington as commander of the Continental Army.source
June 19 – The post of Commanding General is created by the Continental Congress.source
July 26 – The Second Continental Congress appoints Benjamin Franklin to be the first Postmaster General of what later becomes the United States Post Office Department.source
October 13 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress orders the establishment of the Continental Navy (later the United States Navy).source
November 7 – American Revolution: John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, British royal governor of the Colony of Virginia, signs Dunmore's Proclamation, declaring martial law and offering freedom to slaves of Patriots who run away from their owners and join the Loyalist forces (formal proclamation November 15) thus losing the support of planters who see slaves as their vital livelihood.source
November 10 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress passes a resolution creating the Continental Marines to serve as landing troops for the recently created Continental Navy (the Marines are disbanded at end of the war in April 1783 but reformed on July 11, 1798 as the United States Marine Corps).source
The Calcutta Theatre is inaugurated.source
Catherine the Great decrees a Statute for the Administration of the Provinces of the Russian Empire dividing the country into provinces and districts for efficient government.source
The historical fiction A Tale of Two Cities (1859) by English novelist Charles Dickens opens in this year ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times"); it is the story of London and Paris leading up to the French Revolution.France source
Henry Grattan enters the Parliament of Ireland and becomes leader of the "patriot party".Ireland source
Barbara Pauli establish her fashion shop in Stockholm, which becomes a center of fashion in the capital.Sweden source

Conflict & Security

January 14 – Siamese conquest of Chiang Mai and the Lan Na Kingdom.source
January – The Habsburg monarchy forces the Ottoman Empire to cede Bukovina to its rule.source
January – The Habsburg monarchy forces the Ottoman Empire to cede Bukovina.Austria source
February 9 – American Revolution: The Parliament of Great Britain declares the Province of Massachusetts Bay to be in rebellion.source
March 23 – American Revolution: Patrick Henry, a delegate to the Second Virginia Convention after the Virginia House of Burgesses was disbanded by the Royal Governor, delivers his "Give me Liberty or give me Death!" speech at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.source
April 18 – American Revolution: Paul Revere and William Dawes, instructed by Dr. Joseph Warren, ride from Boston to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Sam Adams that British forces are coming to take them prisoner and to seize colonial weapons and ammunition in Concord.source
April 19 – American Revolution – Battles of Lexington and Concord: Hostility between Britain and its American colonies explodes into bloodshed, igniting the American Revolutionary War.source
19 April – the American Revolutionary War begins with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.United Kingdom source
May 10 – Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, leading the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont, capture Fort Ticonderoga.source
10 May – American Revolution: Capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Patriot forces.United Kingdom source
June 11 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Machias: In the first naval engagement of the American Revolution, Patriot forces capture the schooner HMS Margaretta.source
June 17 – American Revolution: Two months into the colonial siege of Boston, British open fire on Breed's Hill on Charles Town Peninsula. After 3 charges, the British take the hill in the Battle of Bunker Hill.source
July 3 – American Revolution: George Washington takes command of the 17,000-man Continental Army at Cambridge.source
July 5 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress sends the Olive Branch Petition, hoping for a reconciliation.source
5 July – American Revolution: the Continental Congress sends the Olive Branch Petition to King George III, hoping for a reconciliation.United Kingdom source
July 6 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress issues Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, which contains the words: "Our cause is just. Our union is perfect... being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves...".source
August 21 – American Revolution – Siege of Fort St. Jean: American rebels launch an invasion of Canada.source
August 21 – Generals Schuyler and Richard Montgomery, with 1,000 American Patriots come to Canada, and invite the inhabitants to rebel.Canada source
August 23 – American Revolution: Refusing to even look at the Olive Branch Petition, King George issues a Proclamation of Rebellion against the American colonies.source
September 25 – American Revolution: Siege of Fort St. Jean – Battle of Longue-Pointe: Thirteen Colonies revolutionary forces under Maj. Ethan Allen attack Montreal in Quebec, commanded by British General Guy Carleton. Allen's forces are defeated, and Allen himself is captured and held on British ships until he is released.source
October 26 – American Revolution: George III announces to Parliament that the American colonies are in an uprising and must be dealt with accordingly.source
November 3 – Hindered by Colonel Warner, of Vermont, Governor Guy Carleton cannot relieve St. Johns, which surrenders to Montgomery.Canada source
November 13 – American Revolution: Battle of Montreal – American forces under Brigadier General Richard Montgomery capture Montreal. British General Guy Carleton escapes to Quebec.source
November – American Revolution: Colonel Richard Richardson's South Carolina revolutionaries march through Ninety-Six District in what becomes known as the Snow Campaign, effectively ending all major support for the Loyalist cause in the backcountry of South Carolina.source
December 5 – American Revolution: Henry Knox begins his journey to Cambridge, Massachusetts with the artillery that has been captured from Fort Ticonderoga.source
December 31 – At the Battle of Quebec, British forces repulsed an attack by the Continental Army to capture Quebec City and enlist French Canadian support.Canada source
Fort Belan built commanding the western end of the Menai Strait by Thomas Wynn.Wales source

Exploration & Expansion

June 12 – Action by citizens of Machias, Maine, in capturing British ships recognises the existence of a United States Merchant Marine.source
June 12 – The British forces offer a pardon to all colonists who lay down their arms.source
12 June – American Revolution: British forces offer a pardon to all colonists who would lay down their arms.United Kingdom source
July 30 – Second voyage of James Cook: HMS Resolution anchors off the south coast of England, Captain Cook having completed the first eastbound global circumnavigation.source
30 July – second voyage of James Cook: HMS Resolution anchors at Spithead, Captain Cook having completed the first eastabout global circumnavigation.United Kingdom source
October 25 – On Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec from New England, his force begins crossing the height of land between Maine and Canada for the descent to the St. Lawrence River.Canada source
Probable date – Jeanne Baret returns to France, becoming the first woman to complete a circumnavigation of the globe.source
Village of Tomintoul laid out by Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon.Scotland source
Marstrand is made the only free port in Sweden.Sweden source
Nicholas Owen (attr.) - History of the Island of AngleseaWales source

Religion & Belief

February 15 – Pope Pius VI succeeds Pope Clement XIV as the 250th pope.source
March 17 – Catherine the Great of Russia issues a manifesto prohibiting freed serfs from being returned to serfdom.source
May 1 – A bust of George III is found, in Montreal, adorned with beads, cross, and mitre, with the words "Pope of Canada: Sot of England." A reward of 500 guineas does not lead to apprehension of the culprit.Canada source
11 June – Coronation of Louis XVI in Reims Cathedral, the last to take place during the Ancien régimeFrance source
Shneur Zalman of Liadi founds the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic Jewish dynasty.source
Henry Flood accepts a seat on the Privy Council of Ireland and becomes vice-treasurer.Ireland source
Elizabeth Griffith - The Morality of Shakespeare's Drama IllustratedWales source
Dafydd Jones - Hymnau a Chaniadau Ysprydol (hymns and psalms)Wales source
Morgan Rhys - Golwg o Ben Nebo, 3rd ed. (collection of hymns)Wales source

Economy & Finance

April–May – Flour War: riots against bread prices.France source
1 May – The Royal Danish Porcelain Factory is founded by the chemist Frantz Heinrich Müller, who is given a 50-year monopoly to create porcelain in Denmark, and begins operations in a converted post office.Denmark source
May 17 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress bans trade with Canada.source

Technology & Infrastructure

June 16 – The post of chief engineer of the Continental Army is created.source
Breguet, one of the oldest Swiss luxury watch brands, clock and jewelry manufacturers is founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet in Paris.source
Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.source
John Wilkinson invents and patents a new kind of boring machine.source
James Watt's 1769 steam engine patent is extended to June 1800 by Act of Parliament and the first engines are built under it.source
Bygholm Manor is completed near Horsens.Denmark source
The manufacture of brännvin are taken over by the state, but the project does not meet with success as the Swedish public continue to manufacture it at home.Sweden source
John Wilkinson (industrialist) invents and patents a new kind of boring machine.United Kingdom source
The 1769 Watt steam engine patent is extended to June 1800 by Act of Parliament and the first engines are built under it.United Kingdom source
Anthony Bacon obtains munitions contracts for his ironworks.Wales source

Science & Discovery

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart writes his five violin concertos in Salzburg at about this date.source
Manganese is isolated by Johan Gottlieb Gahn.Sweden source
Edward Jones (Bardd y Brenin) arrives in London.Wales source

Health & Medicine

18 September - Dr Samuel Johnson accompanies Hester Thrale and her husband Henry on a visit to France.Wales source
A smallpox epidemic begins in New England.source
Magnús Ketilsson publishes an article in the magazine Islandske Maanedestidende and encouraged Icelanders to make use of slaughter products from horses.Iceland source
The power of the burgh of Stirling to manage its own affairs is suspended when the Black Bond comes to light.Scotland source
The first maternity hospital, Allmänna BB, is opened in the capital.Sweden source
1775–76 Winter – Unusually deadly influenza epidemic in London kills nearly 40,000.United Kingdom source

Crime & Justice

June 9 – Martial law is proclaimed in Canada.Canada source
September 25 – Attempting to take Montreal, Ethan Allen and many of his 150 followers are captured, at Longue Pointe, and are sent to England.Canada source
October – The Sayre Plotters attempt to kidnap George III of the United Kingdom.source
Afhandling om Bitter-, Selzer-, Spa- och Pyrmonter-Vatten samt deras tillredande genom konst by Torbern Bergman.Sweden source
By royal letter, all women in need of support are allowed to sell used items freely, such as used clothes, used furniture and other items which they had not made themselves and which were not recently manufactures and thereby would not disturb the privilege of the guild.Sweden source
Josiah Wedgwood introduces jasperware pottery.United Kingdom source

Disasters & Accidents

February 26 – The British East India Company factory on Balambangan Island is destroyed by Moro pirates.source
November – the 90ft tall round tower adjoining the Church of St Michael le Pole in Dublin is damaged in "the great storm of 1775", and subsequently demolished for safety in 1778.Ireland source
Colliers and Salters (Scotland) Act 1775 provides for gradual removal of conditions of servitude on coal miners.Scotland source

Climate & Environment

August 29 – September 12 – The Independence Hurricane from South Carolina to Nova Scotia kills 4,170, mostly fishermen and sailors.source
8 September - An earthquake measuring 5.1 is felt in Swansea.Wales source
Typhoon Liengkieki devastates the Pacific atoll of Pingelap.source
Approximate date – Dark Hedges planted.Ireland source

Culture & Society

January 5 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finishes a Sonata for Keyboard in C.source
17 January – Richard Brinsley Sheridan's first play, the comedy of manners The Rivals, is premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre, London.Ireland source
17 January – first performance of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedy of manners The Rivals at the Covent Garden Theatre in London.United Kingdom source
22 March – American Revolution: Edmund Burke's speech before the British Parliament on conciliation with the American colonies.United Kingdom source
June 11 – Coronation of Louis XVI takes place in Reims. The last coronation of the Ancien Regime before the French Revolutionsource
November 17 – The city of Kuopio, Finland (belonging to Sweden at this time) is founded by King Gustav III of Sweden.source
Vincenzo Galeotti succeeds Vincenzo Piatolli as artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet.Denmark source
Nicolai Abildgaard completes The Wounded Philoctetes.Denmark source
Samuel Johnson's A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland is published.Scotland source
John Howie's Biographia Scoticana is published.Scotland source
Edward Evans - An Address delivered before the Association of Ministers at Dref Wen, near Newcastle Emlyn, with two HymnsWales source

Births

January 27 – Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, German philosopher (died 1854)source
January 30 – Walter Savage Landor, English writer and poet (died 1864)source
February 10 – Charles Lamb, English essayist (died 1834)source
22 February - John Hughes, minister, author and hymn-writer (died 1854)Wales source
11 March - Nils Landmark, jurist, farmer and politician (died 1859)Norway source
March 17 – Ninian Edwards, founding political figure of the state of Illinois (died 1833)source
April 23 – J. M. W. Turner, English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker (died 1851)source
April 25 – Carlota Joaquina of Spain, Queen consort of Portugal (died 1830)source
June 12 - Johann Baptist Malfatti von Monteregio, Italian-Austrian physician (died 1859)Austria source
July 21 – Edward Heneage, English first-class cricketer (died 1810)source
July 24 – Eugène François Vidocq, French criminal and private detective agent (died 1857)source
August 6 – Daniel O'Connell, Ireland's predominant political leader (died 1847)source
August 20 – George Tucker, American politician (died 1861)source
September 13 – Laura Secord, Canadian heroine of the War of 1812 (died 1868)source
September 13 – Laura Secord, heroine of the War of 1812 (d.1868)Canada source
October 24 – Bahadur Shah II, Mughal emperor (died 1862)source
December 14 – Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, British Royal Navy admiral (died 1860)source
December 16 – Jane Austen, English novelist (died 1817)source

Deaths

January 1 – Ahmad Shah Bahadur, 13th Mughal Emperor (born 1725)source
January 11 – Prithvi Narayan Shah, last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom in the Indian subcontinent (born 1723)source
January 21 – Isaac de Forcade de Biaix, Prussian colonel (born 1704)source
January 21 - Yemelyan Pugachev (born 1742)Russia source
March 21 – Thomas Penn, son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania (born 1702)source
May 10 – Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, Queen consort of Denmark and Norway, 1766–1772 (born 1751)source
10 May - Caroline Matilda, queen consort of Sweden, daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales, 23 (scarlet fever)Wales source
May 27 – Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, French noblewoman (born 1693)source
June 17 – Joseph Warren, American doctor (born 1741)source
June 17 – Andrew McClary, soldier and major in the Continental Army during the American Revolution (born 1730)source
August 9 – Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, Prussian merchant, art dealer and diplomat (born 1710)source
August 21 – Zahir al-Umar, Arab ruler of northern Palestine (born 1689)source
October 13 – James Cholmondeley, British Army officer, Member of Parliament (born 1708)source
October 22 – Peyton Randolph, planter and public official from the Colony of Virginia (born 1721)source
November 3: Juan José Pérez Hernández, naval officer and explorer (born ca. 1725)Canada source
November 16 - Marian Paradeiser was an Austrian composer. (born 1747)Austria source
December 31 – American Revolution: Battle of Quebec – British forces repulse an attack by Continental Army generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold at Quebec; Montgomery is killed.source
December 31 – Richard Montgomery, American general (killed in battle) (born 1738)source