1778 CE

April 26 British Captain James Cook explores Alaskan coast, seeking Northwest Passage back to the Atlantic. On the last of three voyages to the west coast, he travels as far north as the Bering Strait and claims Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island for the British. While there, he trades for sea otter pelts. On the way back to England his crew almost mutinied, desperately wanting to go back to the Pacific Northwest, after stopping in China and discovering how much sea otter pelts were worth. American Revolutionary War: Battle of Monmouth – George Washington's Continental Army battles British general Sir Henry Clinton's army to a draw, near Monmouth County, New Jersey. American Revolutionary War – Battle of Monmouth: George Washington's Continental Army battles the British general Sir Henry Clinton's army to a draw near Monmouth, New Jersey.

In the 1770s, the 18th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • February 5 – South Carolina becomes the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.source
  • February 6 – American Revolutionary War: In Paris, the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce are signed by the United States and France, signaling official French recognition of the new republic.source
  • February 6 – American Revolutionary War: In Paris the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce are signed by the United States and France, signaling official recognition of the new republic.United Statessource
  • May 30 – Benedict Arnold signs U.S. oath of allegiance at Valley Forge.United Statessource
  • July 26 – In the Russian Empire, the forced emigration of Christians from the Crimea to Pryazovia begins.source
  • September 17 – The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed, the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe (the Lenape or Delaware).source
  • September 19 – The Continental Congress passes the first budget of the United States.source
  • November 26 – New Jersey becomes the second state to agree to the Articles of Confederation.source
  • December 10 – John Jay of New York is chosen as the sixth President of the Continental Congress.source
  • The original form of hockey is explained to pelters by the indigenous and soon after leads to the form of hockey seen today.Canadasource
  • The city of Kherson is established.Russiasource
  • The city of Mariupol is established.Russiasource
  • The Court of Session decides an appeal by slave Joseph Knight which effectively declares that slavery is illegal in Scotland.Scotlandsource
  • The Cloete family begin ownership of Groot Constantia.South Africasource
  • The VOC extends the Cape Colony's eastern border to Greater Fish & Bushmans Rivers, triggering future anti-colonial wars.South Africasource

Conflict & Security

  • February 5 – General John Cadwalader shoots and seriously wounds Major General Thomas Conway in a duel after a dispute between the two officers over Conway's continued criticism of General George Washington's leadership of the Continental Army.source
  • February 6 – The United States allies with France, and joins the American Revolutionary War.Canadasource
  • February 23 – American Revolutionary War: Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and begins to train the American troops.source
  • March 10 – American Revolutionary War: George Washington approves the dishonorable discharge of Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin, for "attempting to commit sodomy, with John Monhort a soldier".source
  • March 29 – April 26 British Captain James Cook explores Alaskan coast, seeking Northwest Passage back to the Atlantic. On the last of three voyages to the west coast, he travels as far north as the Bering Strait and claims Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island for the British. While there, he trades for sea otter pelts. On the way back to England his crew almost mutinied, desperately wanting to go back to the Pacific Northwest, after stopping in China and discovering how much sea otter pelts were worth.Canadasource
  • April 12 – King George III appoints the five-member Carlisle Peace Commission to present peace terms to negotiate an end to the rebellion of Britain's 13 American colonies.source
  • 24 April – American Revolutionary War: North Channel Naval Duel: John Paul Jones in USS Ranger captures HMS Drake in the North Channel off Carrickfergus.Irelandsource
  • 24 April – American Revolutionary War: North Channel Naval Duel: Scottish-born John Paul Jones in the USS Ranger captures HMS Drake in the North Channel off Carrickfergus.Scotlandsource
  • June 28 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Monmouth – George Washington's Continental Army battles British general Sir Henry Clinton's army to a draw, near Monmouth County, New Jersey.source
  • June 28 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Monmouth: George Washington's Continental Army battles the British general Sir Henry Clinton's army to a draw near Monmouth, New Jersey.United Statessource
  • June – The Anglo-French War (1778–83) begins.source
  • July 3 – American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Wyoming takes place near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, ending in a terrible defeat for the local colonists.source
  • 3 July – American Revolutionary War: the Wyoming Valley battle and massacre takes place near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, ending in a defeat of the local colonists.United Kingdomsource
  • July 3 – American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, takes place near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, ending in a terrible defeat for the Americans.United Statessource
  • July 4 – American Revolutionary War: George Rogers Clark takes Kaskaskia.source
  • July 10 – Louis XVI of France declares war on the Kingdom of Great Britain.source
  • July 27 – American Revolutionary War: First Battle of Ushant – British and French fleets fight to a standoff.source
  • August 29 – American Revolutionary War: The tactically inconclusive Battle of Rhode Island takes place, after which the Continental Army abandons its position on Aquidneck Island.source
  • September 7 – American Revolutionary War: Invasion of Dominica – The French capture the British fort there, before the latter is aware that France has entered the war in the Franco-American alliance.source
  • November 11 – American Revolutionary War: Cherry Valley massacre – British forces and their Iroquois allies attack a fort and the village of Cherry Valley, New York, killing 14 soldiers and 30 civilians.source
  • December 29 – American Revolutionary War: Capture of Savannah – British forces under Archibald Campbell take the city of Savannah, Georgia.source
  • (3 July 1778 - 13 May 1779) - the War of the Bavarian Succession was a dispute between the Austrian habsburg monarchy and an alliance of Saxony and Prussia.Austriasource

Exploration & Expansion

  • January 18 – Third voyage of James Cook: Captain James Cook, with ships HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, first views Oʻahu then Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, which he names the Sandwich Islands.source
  • January 18 – The third Pacific expedition of Capt. James Cook, with ships HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, first view O'ahu then Kaua'i in the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the Sandwich Islands.United Statessource
  • 18 January – the third Pacific expedition of James Cook, with ships HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, first views Oahu then Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".United Kingdomsource
  • March 6–October 24 – Captain Cook explores and maps the Pacific Northwest coast of North America, from Cape Foulweather (Oregon) to the Bering Strait.source
  • April – the Ladies of Llangollen run away from Ireland to set up a rural household together.Irelandsource
  • August 26 – Triglav, at 2,864 m above sea level the highest peak of Slovenia, is ascended for the first time by four men: Luka Korošec, Matevž Kos, Štefan Rožič, and Lovrenc Willomitzer, on Sigmund Zois' initiative.source
  • November 26 – In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to land on Maui.source
  • November 26 – In the Hawaiian Islands, Capt. James Cook becomes the first European to land on Maui.United Statessource
  • 26 November – in the Hawaiian Islands, James Cook becomes the first European to sight Maui.United Kingdomsource
  • The first settlement is made in the area of modern-day Louisville, Kentucky, by 13 families under Colonel George Rogers Clark.source
  • After landing at Nootka Sound in August, former British naval captain John Meares arrives from Macao (sailing under the Portuguese flag) with 70 Chinese carpenters. He supervises the building of another ship and housing at Nootka Sound as the post becomes the centre of the pelt and fur trades in the Pacific Northwest.Canadasource
  • Charles Vallancey surveys West Cork.Irelandsource
  • Joachim van Plettenberg departs on an expedition to explore remote areas, encountering Khoikhoi after ten days. He erects a 2m slate beacon at a bay, renaming it Plettenberg Bay.South Africasource

Religion & Belief

  • 28 March – Hugh O'Reilly succeeds Daniel O'Reilly as Roman Catholic Bishop of Clogher, an office he will hold until 1801.Irelandsource
  • May 30 – Benedict Arnold signs the U.S. Oath of Allegiance at Valley Forge.source
  • 3 June – Papists Act is the first to provide a measure of Catholic relief.United Kingdomsource
  • 9 September - Benjamin Millingchamp, is appointed chaplain on board the flagship of Admiral Sir Edward Hughes.Walessource
  • The city of Ulaanbaatar is settled at its present location, having functioned as a mobile monastic settlement since 1639.source
  • Papists Act provides a measure of Catholic Relief: Catholics now have property rights and may intermarry; and restoration of Catholic religious institutions begins.Irelandsource
  • Claus Fasting starts publishing the literary magazine Provinzialblade, in Bergen.Norwaysource
  • The sweet wines of Constantia receive international acclaim and became known throughout the world as “Constantia Wyn”.South Africasource
  • Thomas Jones - Traethiadau ar Gatecism Eglwys Loegr: gyda phregeth ar Gonffirmasiwn (translation)Walessource
  • Claiming himself as a prophet, watchmaker James Birch founds his own religious sect, the "Birchites", in Pembrokeshire.Walessource

Economy & Finance

  • The Danish rigsdaler becomes the official currency of Iceland.Icelandsource
  • Younger's Brewery established in Edinburgh.Scotlandsource
  • Flint & Clark, the predecessors of Debenhams, begin trading as drapers in London; their successor will enter liquidation in 2020.United Kingdomsource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • April 30 – The 1,800 ft long Hudson River Chain, designed to prevent British ships from moving up the river toward West Point, New York is stretched across the river and anchored by an engineering team under the direction of Captain Thomas Machin.source
  • 4 September – Conrad Alexander Fabritius (1731–1805) and Michael Fabritius (1739–1815), as well as all legitimate children of their then-deceased father Michael Fabritius (1697-1746), are ennobled by letters patent under the name Fabritius de Tengnagel.Denmarksource
  • 20 October - First issue of Stockholms-PostenSwedensource
  • The term thoroughbred is first used in the United States, in an advertisement in a Kentucky gazette, to describe a New Jersey stallion called Pilgarlick.source
  • Spinning mule invented to spin multiple strands of yarn.Canadasource
  • The first residential building was built in Akureyri.Icelandsource
  • The construction of Stiftsgården was finished.Norwaysource
  • First cotton mill in Scotland established at Penicuik.Scotlandsource
  • Joseph Bramah invents a type of flush toilet.United Kingdomsource
  • A furnace is built at Sirhowy by Thomas Atkinson and William Barrow of London. This is the first stage of the Tredegar ironworks.Walessource

Science & Discovery

  • June 24 – A total solar eclipse takes place across parts of North America, from Texas to Virginia.source
  • June 24 – A total solar eclipse takes place across parts of the U.S. from Texas to Virginia.United Statessource
  • Nikolas Novikov takes over the Moscow University Press and begins publishing "The Drone" for which he is later imprisoned by Catherine II.Russiasource

Health & Medicine

  • October 12 – The Continental Congress advises the 13 member states to suppress "theatrical entertainments, horse-racing, gaming, and such other diversions as are productive of idleness, dissipation, and general depravity of principles and manners."source
  • Société royale de médecine established by a decree of King Louis XVI.Francesource
  • Inhabited House Tax first imposed.Scotlandsource
  • Infanticide Act (Barnamordsplakatet) secures the right to anonymity for, and bans persecution of, unwed mothers to protect them from the social stigma which could cause infanticide.Swedensource

Crime & Justice

  • September – The Massachusetts Banishment Act, providing punishment for Loyalists, is passed.source
  • Joachim van Plettenberg finds farmers in grassy plains, and notes the Khoikhoi are living on farms. He records the farmers' complaints about livestock theft by "Bushmen-Hottentots."South Africasource
  • Capital punishment in Sweden is abolished for infanticide, rape, adultery, bigamy, witchcraft and repeated theft.Swedensource
  • Lord Mansfield decides the landmark case of Da Costa v Jones in English contract law, in relation to the presumption of good faith.United Kingdomsource
  • Thomas Pennant - Tour in WalesWalessource

Disasters & Accidents

  • The 90ft tall round tower adjoining the Church of St Michael le Pole in Dublin is demolished for safety reasons after being damaged by a storm in November 1775Irelandsource

Culture & Society

  • 14 January - The Anker family were ennobled.Norwaysource
  • April - The king introduces the costume reform Nationella dräkten to give the population a standard costume to wear and thereby avoid the great waste of clothing. In reality, however, the costume comes to be worn only as a court costume.Swedensource
  • May 12 – Heinrich XI, Prince Reuss of Greiz is elevated to Prince of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz by Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor. This year sees the first appearance of the modern-day national colors of Germany on a flag that closely resembles the modern flag of Germany, to occur anywhere within modern-day Germany.source
  • August 3 – The La Scala Opera House opens in Milan, with the première of Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.source
  • 22 September – first St. Leger Stakes horse race held under this name and at its continuing location, Town Moor, Doncaster. The winner is Hollandoise.United Kingdomsource
  • Thomas Kitchin's The Present State of the West-Indies: Containing an Accurate Description of What Parts Are Possessed by the Several Powers in Europe is published in London.source
  • Phillips Academy is founded in Massachusetts by Samuel Phillips Jr.source
  • Highland Society of London established with "the view of establishing and supporting schools in the Highlands and in the Northern parts of Great Britain, for relieving distressed Highlanders at a distance from their native homes, for preserving the antiquities and rescuing from oblivion the valuable remains of Celtic literature, and for promoting the improvement and general welfare of the Northern parts of Great Britain".Scotlandsource
  • Phillips Academy, a prestigious secondary boarding school in the United States, is founded by Samuel Phillips Jr.United Statessource
  • Fanny Burney's novel Evelina published (anonymously).United Kingdomsource
  • Blind harpist John Parry and his son David play Handel's choruses on two Welsh harps at the court of King George III of Great Britain.Walessource
  • David William - Gorfoledd ym Mhebyll SeionWalessource

Births

Deaths

  • January 10 – Carl Linnaeus, Swedish botanist (born 1707)source
  • February 20 – Laura Bassi, Italian physicist and academic (born 1711)source
  • February 27 – Alexander Murray of Elibank, fourth son of Alexander Murray (born 1712)source
  • March 7 – Charles De Geer, Swedish industrialist and entomologist (born 1720)source
  • April 7 – Former British prime minister William Pitt delivers his last speech to Parliament, and speaks to the House of Lords "passionately but incoherently against the granting of independence" to the American colonies, but collapses during the debate, and dies five weeks later.source
  • 11 April: Miklabæjar-Solveig, Folklore figure.Icelandsource
  • May 8 – Lorenz Christoph Mizler, German music historian, polymath (born 1711)source
  • May 11 – William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, Prime Minister of Great Britain (born 1708)source
  • May 30 – Voltaire, French philosopher (born 1694)source
  • June 12 – Philip Livingston, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (born 1716)source
  • June 19 – Francesca Cuzzoni, Italian operatic soprano (born 1696)source
  • July 3 – Anna Maria Mozart, Austrian mother to the Mozarts (born 1720)source
  • July 3 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss philosopher (born 1712)source
  • November 9 – Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Italian artist (born 1720)source
  • November 11 – Anne Steele, English hymnwriter and essayist (born 1717)source
  • November 11 – 30 people in the Cherry Valley massacreUnited Statessource
  • Anna Sergeyevna Dolgorukaya, Pedagogue, Noble, and CourtierRussiasource
  • Gcaleka theAmaXhosa chief dies. Ngqika succeeds under Ndlambe's regency. Rharhabe exploits the power vacuum but is banished to the north.South Africasource