Historical Events in 1776

Event of Interest

Jan 1 General George Washington hoists Continental Union Flag

First US President George Washington — First US President
George Washington

Historic Publication

Jan 10 "Common Sense" Pamphlet by Thomas Paine, published advocating American independence

Voice of the American Revolution Thomas Paine — Voice of the American Revolution
Thomas Paine

Jan 16 Continental Congress approves enlistment of free blacks
Jan 18 James Wright, Royal Governor of Georgia, is placed under house arrest by Major Joseph Habersham
Jan 24 Henry Knox arrives at Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the artillery that he has transported from Fort Ticonderoga

Theater Premiere

Feb 8 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's play "Stella" premieres in Hamburg

Social Philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe — Social Philosopher
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Historic Publication

Feb 17 1st volume of Edward Gibbon's seminal work "The Decline and Fall of Roman Empire" published

Historian Edward Gibbon — Historian
Edward Gibbon

Mar 2 Americans begin shelling British troops in Boston
Mar 3 American commodore Esek Hopkins occupies Nassau, Bahamas
Mar 4 American War of Independence: The Americans capture Dorchester Heights dominating the port of Boston, Massachusetts

Event of Interest

Mar 9 Publication of influential economics book "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

Economist and Philosopher Adam Smith — Economist and Philosopher
Adam Smith

Mar 17 British forces evacuate Boston to Nova Scotia during Revolutionary War
Mar 25 Continental Congress authorized a medal for George Washington
Mar 28 Juan Bautista de Anza finds the site for the Presidio of San Francisco

Apr 1 Friedrich von Klinger's "Sturm und Drang" premieres in Leipzig
Apr 3 George Washington receives honorary Ll.D. degree from Harvard College
Apr 7 Captain John Barry and the USS Lexington captures the Edward
Apr 12 Halifax resolution for independence adopted by North Carolina
Apr 15 Duchess of Kingston found guilty of bigamy
May 1 Adam Weishaupt founds secret society of Illuminati
May 2 France & Spain agreed to give weapons to American rebels
May 4 Rhode Island declares independence from Britain
May 12 Turgot, French minister of Finance, resigns

United States Declaration of Independence

Jun 7 Richard Lee (Virginia) moves Declaration of Independence in Continental Congress
Learn More >>

Event of Interest

Jun 11 Continental Congress creates committee (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston) to draft a Declaration of Independence

3rd US President Thomas Jefferson — 3rd US President
Thomas Jefferson

American Founding Father Robert R. Livingston — American Founding Father
Robert R. Livingston

United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin — United States Founding Father
Benjamin Franklin

Jun 12 Virginia adopts Declaration of Rights
Jun 28 Final draft of Declaration of Independence submitted to Continental Congress
Jun 28 Charleston, South Carolina repulses British sea attack
Jun 29 Mission Dolores founded at San Francisco Bay by Lieutenant José Joaquin Moraga and Francisco Palóu

Event of Interest

Jun 29 Virginia state constitution adopted and Patrick Henry made governor

American Revolutionary and Founding Father Patrick Henry — American Revolutionary and Founding Father
Patrick Henry

Event of Interest

Jul 1 1st vote on Declaration of Independence for Britain's North American colonies

Presbyterian Minister John Witherspoon — Presbyterian Minister
John Witherspoon

Jul 2 New Jersey gives the right to vote to all adults who could show a net worth of 50 pounds
Jul 2 Continental Congress resolves "these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States"

Event of Interest

Jul 2 At the Continental Congress, John Dickinson abstains from the votes that declare independence

Founding Father of the United States John Dickinson — Founding Father of the United States
John Dickinson

Jul 4 According to popular legend the Liberty Bell rings for the Second Continental Congress
Jul 4 US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and independence from Britain
Jul 6 American Declaration of Independence announced on front page of "PA Evening Gazette"
Jul 8 Colonel John Nixon gives the 1st public reading of the Declaration of Independence to an assemblage of citizens in Philadelphia
Jul 9 Declaration of Independence is read to George Washington's troops (NY)

Event of Interest

Jul 11 Captain James Cook begins his third voyage

Explorer James Cook — Explorer
James Cook

Jul 12 Captain James Cook departs with Resolution for 3rd trip to Pacific Ocean
Aug 2 Formal signing of the US Declaration of Independence by 56 people (date most accepted by modern historians)
Aug 10 American Revolutionary War: word of the United States Declaration of Independence reaches London.
Aug 27 British defeat Americans in Battle of Long Island
Aug 29 Americans withdraw from Manhattan to Westchester
Aug 30 Continental Army evacuates Long Island and falls back to Manhattan, NYC
Sep 6 Hurricane hits Martinique; 100 French and Dutch ships sink; 600 die
Sep 6 1st (failed) submarine attack: David Bushnell's "Turtle" attacks British sailboat "Eagle" in Bay of NY
Sep 6 Hurricane hits Guadeloupe, killing more than 6,000.
Sep 9 Congress officially renames the country as the United States of America (Was the United Colonies)

Event of Interest

Sep 10 George Washington asks for a spy volunteer, Nathan Hale volunteers

US Patriot and Soldier Nathan Hale — US Patriot and Soldier
Nathan Hale

Sep 12 Nathan Hale leaves Harlem Heights Camp (127th St) for spy mission
Sep 15 British forces capture Kip's Bay, Manhattan, during Revolution
Sep 17 The Presidio of San Francisco is founded in New Spain.
Sep 21 5 days after British take New York, a quarter of the city burns down
Sep 21 Nathan Hale, spied on British for American rebels, arrested
Sep 24 First St Leger horesrace held at Doncaster
Oct 11 Brigadier-General Arnold's Lake Champlain fleet defeated by British during the Battle of Valcour Island (American Revolutionary War)
Oct 12 British Brigade begins guarding Throgg Necks Road in Bronx
Oct 18 In a bar decorated with bird tail in Elmsford, New York, a customer requests a glassful of “those cock tails” from bartender Betsy Flanagan
Oct 18 Battle of Pelham: Colonel John Glover & Marblehead regiment meet British Forces in Bronx

Event of Interest

Oct 26 Benjamin Franklin departs for France on a mission to seek French support for the American Revolution

Oct 28 Battle of White Plains: George Washington retreats to New Jersey
Nov 1 Mission San Juan Capistrano founded in California
Nov 16 1st gun salute for an American warship in a foreign port - US Andrew Doria at Fort St Eustatius (Dutch Caribbean isalnd)
Nov 16 British troops capture Fort Washington during American Revolution
Nov 18 Hessians capture Ft Lee, NJ
Nov 30 Captain James Cook begins 3rd and last trip to the Pacific
Dec 5 First US fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa (William & Mary College), forms
Dec 8 George Washington's retreating army crosses Delaware River from NJ
Dec 19 Thomas Paine publishes his 1st "American Crisis" essay beginning"These are the times that try men's souls" (date disputed)
Dec 23 Continental Congress negotiates a war loan of $181,500 from France
Dec 25 George Washington crosses Delaware, surprises and defeats 1,400 Hessians
Dec 26 George Washington defeats Hessians at Battle of Trenton in American Revolutionary War
Dec 31 Rhode Island establishes wage & price controls to curb inflation: Limit is 70 cents a day for carpenters, 42 cents for tailors

On This Day

Historical Events in 1776

Event of Interest

Historic Publication

Theater Premiere

Historic Publication

Event of Interest

United States Declaration of Independence

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Event of Interest

Search the world's largest, most accurate site for today in history.