- Feb 11 Stamp Act declared unconstitutional in Virginia
- Feb 14 Dutch governor Falck and King Keerthisiri Rajasinghe of Kandy sign Treaty of Batticaloa
- Mar 5 Don Antonio de Ulloa takes possession of Louisiana Territory from the French
- Mar 8 Willem V (18) becomes governor of United Provinces
- Mar 18 Britain repeals the Stamp Act, which had caused outrage in colonial America and helped lead to the American Revolution
- Apr 8 1st fire escape patented, wicker basket on a pulley & chain
- May 9 John Byron back in England after trip around the world
- May 22 Istanbul earthquake with estimated magnitude of 7.1, causes widespread extensive damage, followed by a significant tsunami
- Jul 9 British premier Marquess of Rockingham resigns
- Jul 18 Society of the Dutch Literary forms
- Oct 30 St. Paul's Chapel in New York is consecrated
- Nov 10 The last Colonial governor of New Jersey, William Franklin, signs the charter of Queen's College (later renamed Rutgers University).
- Nov 25 Pope Clement XIII warns On dangers of anti-Christian writings
- Dec 5 World's largest auction house - Christie's hold their first sale in their permanent saleroom in Pall Mall, London