Directory

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.

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 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
  • 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
  • March 4 – The Fourth Continental Congress, with John Hancock as president, begins a 199 day session in Philadelphia, lasting until September 18.source
  • 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
  • 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

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
  • 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 27 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Ridgefield: The British Army defeats Patriot militias, galvanizing resistance in the Connecticut Colony.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
  • 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 11 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Brandywine: The British gain a major victory in Chester County, Pennsylvania.source
  • 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 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
  • 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

Exploration & Expansion

  • March 29–30 – Third voyage of James Cook: English explorer Captain Cook discovers Mangaia and Atiu in the Cook Islands.source
  • December 24 – Third voyage of James Cook: English explorer Captain Cook locates Kiritimati (Christmas Island).source

Religion & Belief

  • January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís is founded in what becomes Santa Clara, California.source
  • November 29 – San Jose, California, is founded. It is the first pueblo in Spanish Alta California.source

Crime & Justice

  • 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

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
  • June 21 – Encyclopædia Britannica Second Edition begins publication in Edinburgh.source
  • 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

Births

  • January 13 – Elisa Bonaparte, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte (d. 1820)source
  • February 10 – Amable Berthelot, Quebec lawyer, author and political figure (d. 1847)source
  • March 10 – Robert Allison (Pennsylvania politician), U.S. Representative (d. 1840)source
  • March 17 – Patrick Brontë, Irish Anglican curate and writer; father of writers Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë (d. 1861)source
  • March 17 – Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1864)source
  • April 11 – William Addams, United States Congressman (d. 1858)source
  • May 18 – John George Children, British chemist, mineralogist and zoologist (d. 1852)source
  • June 22 – William Brown (admiral), Irish-born first admiral of Argentina (d. 1857)source
  • October 5 – Guillaume Dupuytren, French anatomist, military surgeon (d. 1835)source
  • October 18 – Heinrich von Kleist, German poet, dramatist, novelist and short story writer (d. 1811)source
  • November 13 – Kunwar Singh, Leader during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (d. 1858)source
  • December 14 – Du Pré Alexander, 2nd Earl of Caledon, Irish peer, landlord and colonial administrator (d. 1839)source
  • December 16 – Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, French champagne producer (d. 1866)source
  • December 21 – John Campbell, 7th Duke of Argyll, Scottish peer, Whig politician (d. 1847)source

Deaths

  • January 12 – Hugh Mercer, American Revolutionary War officer, mortally wounded in battle (b. 1726)source
  • March 2 – Empress Xiaoshengxian, mother of the Chinese Qianlong Emperor of China (b. 1692)source
  • May 11 – George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot, British governor of Madras (b. 1719)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
  • May 19 – Button Gwinnett, a signatory of the American Declaration of Independence (b. 1735)source
  • May 22 – David Wooster, American general in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War (b. 1711)source
  • August 23 – Celia Grillo Borromeo, Italian scientist, mathematician (b. 1684)source
  • September 25 – Johann Heinrich Lambert, Swiss mathematician, physicist and astronomer (b. 1728)source
  • October 4 – Francis Nash, American brigadier general, killed at the Battle of Germantown (b. c. 1742)source
  • October 6 – Marie Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin, French salon holder (b. 1699)source
  • December 9 – Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet, British Royal Navy officer (b. c. 1704)source
  • December 12 – Albrecht von Haller, Swiss anatomist and physiologist (b. 1708)source
  • December 26 – Dolly Pentreath, last-known fluent native speaker of the Cornish language (b. 1692)source
  • December 30 – Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria dies and is succeeded by his distant cousin Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria.source