1777 CE

American Revolutionary War – Battle of the Assunpink Creek: American general George Washington's army repulses a British attack by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, in a second battle at Trenton, New Jersey. The Stars and Stripes is adopted by the Continental Congress as the flag of the United States. San Jose, California, is founded. It is the first pueblo in Spanish Alta California.

In the 1770s, the 18th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 15 – Vermont declares its independence from New York, becoming the Vermont Republic, an independent country, a status it retains until it joins the United States as the 14th state in 1791.source
  • January 15 – Vermont declares its independence from Little York, becoming the Vermont Republic, an independent country, a status it retains until it joins the United States as the 14th state in 1791.United Statessource
  • January 21 – The Continental Congress approves a resolution "that an unauthentic copy, with names of the signers of the Declaration of independence, be sent to each of the United States.source
  • 25 January – John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire, is sworn in as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.Irelandsource
  • February 5 – Under the 1st Constitution of Georgia, 8 counties are chartered: Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond, and Wilkes. This dissolves the existing parishes of St. George, St. Mary's, St. Thomas, St. Phillip, Christ Church, St. David, St. Matthews, St. Andrew, St. James, St. Johns, and St. Paul.source
  • February 12 – John McKinly is sworn in as the first president of Delaware.United Statessource
  • March 4 – The Fourth Continental Congress, with John Hancock as president, begins a 199 day session in Philadelphia, lasting until September 18.source
  • June 1 – Patrick Henry is sworn in for his second term as the first Governor of Virginia.United Statessource
  • June 14 – The Stars and Stripes is adopted by the Continental Congress as the flag of the United States.source
  • July 8 – The 1777 Constitution of Vermont is signed, officially abolishing slavery.source
  • October 17 – Though aware of approaching relief, Burgoyne, having promised to capitulate, and fearing annihilation by a threatened attack, signs the capitulation. During its first session the Canadian Council passes sixteen ordinances, adopts English Commercial law, and constitutes itself a Court of Appeal, with final resort to the Privy Council in England.Canadasource
  • November 15 – American Revolution: After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation, in the temporary American capital at York, Pennsylvania.source
  • November 17 – American Revolution: The Articles of Confederation are submitted to the states for ratification.source
  • December 20 – Morocco recognizes the United States as a sovereign state.source
  • Danish India is turned over to the government by the Danish Asiatic Company and becomes a Danish-Norwegian crown colony.Denmarksource
  • Rybnaya sloboda was renamed Rybinsk.Russiasource
  • Beloozero was renamed Belozersk.Russiasource

Conflict & Security

  • January 2 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of the Assunpink Creek: American general George Washington's army repulses a British attack by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, in a second battle at Trenton, New Jersey.source
  • January 3 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Princeton: American general George Washington's army defeats British troops.source
  • 3 January – American Revolution: American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton.United Kingdomsource
  • April 13 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Bound Brook: A British and Hessian force led by Charles Cornwallis surprises a Continental Army outpost in New Jersey, commanded by Major General Benjamin Lincoln.source
  • April 26 – American Revolutionary War: 16-year-old Sybil Ludington is said to have ridden 40 mi through the night to warn militiamen under the control of her father Henry that British troops had raided Danbury, Connecticut.United Statessource
  • April 27 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Ridgefield: The British Army defeats Patriot militias, galvanizing resistance in the Connecticut Colony.source
  • May 16 – Gwinnett–McIntosh duel: Lachlan McIntosh and Button Gwinnett shoot each other during a duel near Savannah, Georgia. Gwinnett, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, dies three days later.source
  • June 13 – American Revolution: The Marquis de Lafayette lands near Georgetown, South Carolina, to help the Continental Congress train its army.source
  • July 6 – American Revolutionary War – Siege of Fort Ticonderoga: After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York.source
  • July 7 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Hubbardton: British forces capture over 200 of the American rearguard, from Fort Ticonderoga.source
  • August 6 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Oriskany: Loyalists gain a tactical victory over Patriots; Iroquois fight on both sides.source
  • August 16 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Bennington: British and Brunswicker forces are decisively defeated by American troops at Walloomsac, New York.source
  • 16 August – American Revolution: at the Battle of Bennington British and Brunswicker forces are decisively defeated by American troops.United Kingdomsource
  • August 22 – American Revolutionary War – The Siege of Fort Stanwix is ended by withdrawal of British forces, following a ruse by Benedict Arnold to persuade them that a much larger force is arriving.source
  • September 3 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Cooch's Bridge: British and Hessian forces defeat an American militia in a minor skirmish in New Castle County, Delaware.source
  • September 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cooch's Bridge – In a minor skirmish in New Castle County, Delaware, the flag of the United States was flown in battle for the first time.United Statessource
  • September 11 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Brandywine: The British gain a major victory in Chester County, Pennsylvania.source
  • 11 September – American Revolution: Battle of Brandywine is a major victory for the British in Chester County, Pennsylvania.United Kingdomsource
  • September 19 – American Revolutionary War – First Battle of Saratoga (Battle of Freeman's Farm): Patriot forces withstand a British attack at Saratoga, New York.source
  • September 19 – General Burgoyne's Indian and French allies desert at the battle of Stillwater.Canadasource
  • September 26 – American Revolutionary War – British troops occupy Philadelphia; members of the Continental Congress flee to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they meet and hold a one day session as the Fifth Congress before fleeing again.source
  • September 30 – American Revolutionary War – The Sixth Continental Congress opens its session at York, Pennsylvania, and continues for 272 days until June 27, 1778.source
  • October 4 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Germantown: Troops under George Washington are repelled by British troops under Sir William Howe.source
  • October 6 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery: British troops capture Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery (Hudson River), and are able to dismantle the Hudson River Chain.source
  • October 7 – American Revolutionary War – Second Battle of Saratoga (Battle of Bemis Heights): British General John Burgoyne is defeated by American troops.source
  • October 17 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Saratoga: British General John Burgoyne surrenders to the American troops.source
  • October 17 – American Revolution – Battle of Saratoga: British General John Burgoyne surrenders to the American troops.United Statessource
  • December 18 – The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking October's victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga.source
  • December 19 – American Revolutionary War – George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.source
  • In the House of Lords, Lord Camden declares: "If I were an American, I should resist to the last such manifest exertions of tyranny, violence and injustice."Canadasource

Exploration & Expansion

  • 1 March - David Samwell, at sea between New Zealand and Tahiti with Captain Cook, writes a pennillion.Walessource
  • March 29–30 – Third voyage of James Cook: English explorer Captain Cook discovers Mangaia and Atiu in the Cook Islands.source
  • July 4 – Near Fort Ticonderoga, General Burgoyne offers condonement if colonists lay down their arms.Canadasource
  • December 24 – Third voyage of James Cook: English explorer Captain Cook locates Kiritimati (Christmas Island).source
  • 24 December – Kiritimati (Christmas Island) visited by James Cook.United Kingdomsource
  • Francis Towne and John White go on a painting tour of North Wales.Walessource

Religion & Belief

  • January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís is founded in what becomes Santa Clara, California.source
  • January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís founded in what is now Santa Clara, California.United Statessource
  • 19 February – the Langrishe Baronetcy, of Knocktopher Abbey in the County of Kilkenny, is created in the Baronetage of Ireland for Hercules Langrishe, Member of Parliament for Knocktopher in the Irish House of Commons.Irelandsource
  • May 9 – The first session of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 ends and charters Johnston County Court House as Smithfield.United Statessource
  • 11 September – first minister ordained to United Presbyterian Church, Thurso; first church building opens this year.Scotlandsource
  • October 16 – Articles of Capitulation of 5,782 British, under Burgoyne are written.Canadasource
  • November 29 – San Jose, California, is founded. It is the first pueblo in Spanish Alta California.source
  • Old Nordre Osen Church was built.Norwaysource
  • Evan Hughes (Hughes Fawr) - Duwdod CristWalessource

Economy & Finance

  • 22 July - The business partnership between Anthony Bacon and William Brownrigg is dissolved.Walessource
  • Danish trade monopoly in Iceland: Changes were made allowing merchants to build houses and have permanent residence in Iceland.Icelandsource

Technology & Infrastructure

Science & Discovery

  • 2 September – HD;S Justitia is launched at Orlogsværftet on Nyholm in Copenhagen.Denmarksource
  • David Thompson enters Grey Coat SchoolCanadasource
  • Rev. Thomas Campbell publishes the first edition of A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland in a series of letters to John Watkinson, M.D. anonymously in London.Irelandsource
  • Thomas Pennant - British Zoology, vol. 4Walessource
  • William Williams Pantycelyn - Ductor Naptiarum: Neu Gyfarwyddwr PriodasWalessource

Health & Medicine

  • In the St. Louis region, a brood of 13-year cicadas emerges at the same time as a large brood of 17-year cicadas.United Statessource

Crime & Justice

  • 1 May – legal case of Goodright v. Stevens decides that the declaration of either parent cannot be accepted to prove that a child born in wedlock is a bastard.United Kingdomsource
  • The code duello is adopted at the Clonmel Summer Assizes as the form for pistol duels by gentlemen in Ireland. It is quickly denounced, but nevertheless widely adopted throughout the English-speaking world.source
  • 73rd (Highland) Regiment of Foot (MacLeod's Highlanders) raised.Scotlandsource
  • Waightstill Avery becomes the first North Carolina Attorney General.United Statessource
  • Nicholas Owen - British RemainsWalessource

Climate & Environment

  • 21 July – Holmfirth Flood in the Holme Valley of West Yorkshire: three drowned.United Kingdomsource

Culture & Society

  • April 1 – Friedrich Maximilian Klinger's play Sturm und Drang is premiered by the Seyler Theatre Company in Leipzig, giving its name to the whole Sturm und Drang movement in German literature.source
  • May 8 – Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedy of manners, The School for Scandal, is first performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.source
  • 29 May – the Palmer Baronetcy, of Castle Lackin in the County of Mayo, is created in the Baronetage of Ireland for Roger Palmer.Irelandsource
  • 7 June - Gustav III visits Catherine the Great in Russia.Swedensource
  • June 21 – Encyclopædia Britannica Second Edition begins publication in Edinburgh.source
  • 21 June – Encyclopædia Britannica Second Edition begins publication in Edinburgh.Scotlandsource
  • July 4 – The first organized Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia: included fireworks set off from the city's commons.United Statessource
  • 8 September – inauguration of Bath and West of England Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.United Kingdomsource
  • Kunsthochschule Kassel is founded in Germany as a fine arts academy.source
  • Det Dramatiske Selskab is founded in Copenhagen (Denmark) as an acting academy.source
  • George II Frederic is crowned as king of the Miskito Kingdom.source
  • The pioneer acting academy Det Dramatiske Selskab is founded.Denmarksource
  • Colebrook Township, Pennsylvania is settled.United Statessource
  • Thomas Pennant marries, as his second wife, Anne Mostyn, daughter of Sir Thomas Mostyn, 4th Baronet.Walessource

Births

  • January 13 – Elisa Bonaparte, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte (died 1820)source
  • 14 January: Hannes Bjarnason, priest and poet.Icelandsource
  • January – William Barton, English cricketer (died 1825)source
  • March 17 – Patrick Brontë, Irish Anglican curate and writer; father of writers Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë (died 1861)source
  • March 17 – Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States (died 1864)source
  • April 12 – Henry Clay, American politician (died 1852)source
  • April 12 – Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1806-1807, 1810-1811, 1831-1842 & 1849-1852 (died 1852)United Statessource
  • April 30 – Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, astronomer and physicist (died 1855)source
  • June 20 – Jean-Jacques Lartigue, bishop of Montreal (d.1840)Canadasource
  • June 22 – William Brown (admiral), Irish-born first admiral of Argentina (died 1857)source
  • July 23 – Philipp Otto Runge, German painter (died 1810)source
  • July – Thomas Clayton, American lawyer, politician (died 1854)source
  • August 14 – Hans Christian Ørsted, Danish physicist and chemist (died 1851)source
  • October 18 – Heinrich von Kleist, German poet, dramatist, novelist and short story writer (died 1811)source
  • December 10 – William Conner, American trader, politician (died 1855)source
  • December 16 – Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, French champagne producer (died 1866)source
  • December 23 – Emperor Alexander I of Russia, Russian officer (died 1825)source
  • Alexander I of Russia, Emperor of RussiaRussiasource

Deaths

  • January 12 – Hugh Mercer, American Revolutionary War officer, mortally wounded in battle (born 1726)source
  • January 12 – Hugh Mercer, Continental Army brigadier general and physician, mortally wounded at Battle of Princeton (born 1726 in Scotland)United Statessource
  • February 24 – King Joseph I of Portugal (born 1714)source
  • February 24 – King Joseph I of Portugal dies, and is succeeded by his daughter Maria I of Portugal, and his brother and son-in-law Peter III of Portugal.source
  • 4 March - Edward Richard, teacher and poet, 62Walessource
  • May 11 – George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot, British governor of Madras (born 1719)source
  • 22 May – Nicolaus Christian Friis, priest and writer (born 1714).Norwaysource
  • September 22 – John Bartram, American botanist (born 1699)source
  • September 25 – Johann Heinrich Lambert, Swiss mathematician, physicist and astronomer (born 1728)source
  • October 4 – Francis Nash, American brigadier general, killed at the Battle of Germantown (born c. 1742)source
  • October 6 – Marie Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin, French salon holder (born 1699)source
  • October 21 – Samuel Foote, English dramatist and actor (born 1720)source
  • November 10 – Cornstalk, Shawnee chief (born c. 1720)source
  • December 9 – Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet, British Royal Navy officer (born c. 1704)source
  • December 12 – Albrecht von Haller, Swiss anatomist and physiologist (born 1708)source
  • December 26 – Ricardo Wall, Spanish-Irish cavalry officer (born 1694)source
  • December 30 – Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria dies and is succeeded by his distant cousin Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria.source
  • Alexander Sumarokov, Russian poetRussiasource