Historic Event
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.
- Jan 4 Andre Méchain discovers M80 (globular cluster in Scorpio)
Battle of Interest
Jan 5 British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Virginia
Articles of Confederation
Mar 1 Continental Congress officially adopts the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States of America after ratification by the 13th state, Maryland
Scientific Discovery
Mar 13 William Herschel sees what he thinks is a "comet" but is actually the discovery of the planet Uranus
Battle of Interest
Mar 15 Battle of Guilford Court House; British troops under Cornwallis defeat American forces but their heavy losses led to ceding of territory and a strategic loss
Scientific Discovery
Mar 18 Charles Messier rediscovers global cluster M92
Historic Event
Jun 3 Jack Jouett rides to warn Thomas Jefferson of British attack
- Jul 11 Thomas Hutchins designated Geographer of US
Surrender at Yorktown
Aug 1 British army under general Cornwallis occupies Yorktown, Virginia
- Aug 5 Battle of Dogger Bank (Fourth Anglo-Dutch War): a British strategic victory, although both sides claimed to have won
Historic Event
Aug 20 George Washington begins to move his troops south to fight Cornwallis
Victory in Battle
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 the siege of Yorktown
- Oct 9 Americans under George Washington and the French under Comte de Rochambeau begin bombardment of Yorktown, the last battle of American Revolutionary War
Historic Event
Oct 19 British forces under General Charles Cornwallis sign terms of surrender to George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau at Yorktown at 2 pm, ending the US Revolutionary War
- Oct 19 Edict of Toleration issued by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, providing limited freedom of worship for non-Roman Catholic Christians
- 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
Historic Event
Dec 28 Comte de Rochambeau and Nicolas Luckner are the last generals to be made Marshal of France by Louis XVI before the Revolution
- Dec 31 Bank of North America, 1st US bank opens