Event of Interest
Jan 1 1,500 soldiers of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment under General Anthony Wayne's command rebel against the Continental Army's winter camp in Morristown, New Jersey as part of the Pennsylvania (Continentals; Regiment) Mutiny of 1781.
Anthony Wayne
- Jan 4 Andre Méchain discovers M80 (globular cluster in Scorpio)
Historic Expedition
Jan 5 British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Virginia
Benedict Arnold
Music Premiere
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Scientific Discovery
Mar 13 William Herschel sees what he thinks is a "comet" but is actually the discovery of the planet Uranus
William Herschel
- Mar 15 British and American forces clash during the Battle of Guilford Court House, North Carolina. British suffer heavy losses, surrendering to George Washington in October
- Mar 18 Charles Messier rediscovers global cluster M92
- Apr 8 Premiere of Mozart's violin sonata K379
- Apr 29 French fleet occupies Tobago during American War of Independence
- Apr 29 French fleet stops the Britain from seizing the Cape of Good Hope
- May 1 Emperor Joseph II decrees protection of population
- May 26 Bank of North America incorporates in Philadelphia
Event of Interest
Jun 3 Jack Jouett rides to warn Thomas Jefferson of British attack
Thomas Jefferson
Event of Interest
Aug 20 George Washington begins to move his troops south to fight Cornwallis
George Washington
- Sep 4 Los Angeles is founded by 44 Spanish speaking mestizos in the Bahia de las Fumas (Bay of Smokes)
- Sep 5 American Revolutionary War: French fleet of 24 ships under Comte de Grasse defeat British forces under Admiral Graves at the Battle of the Chesapeake [Battle of the Virginia Capes] and trap Cornwallis
- Sep 6 The Battle of Groton Heights takes place, resulting a British victory.
- Sep 25 -26] Joan Derks scatters "On the People of Netherlands" pamphlets
- Sep 28 9,000 American and 7,000 French troops begin siege of Yorktown
- Oct 6 Americans under George Washington and the French under comte de Rochambeau begin the siege of Cornwallis at Yorktown; last battle of American Revolutionary War
Event of Interest
Oct 19 British forces under General Charles Cornwallis sign terms of surrender to George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau at Yorktown at 2 pm; US Revolutionary War ends
Charles Cornwallis
Comte de Rochambeau
George Washington
- Oct 20 Patent of Toleration, providing limited freedom of worship, was approved in Habsburg Monarchy.
- Nov 5 John Hanson elected first "President of US in Congress assembled"
- Nov 13 British troops occupy Negapatam, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
- Nov 29 Crew of slave ship Zong murder about 142 African slaves by dumping them into the sea, to claim insurance
Event of Interest
Dec 28 Comte de Rochambeau and Nicolas Luckner are the last generals to be made Marshal of France by Louis XVI before the Revolution
Comte de Rochambeau
Louis XVI
- Dec 31 Bank of North America, 1st US bank opens