- Jan 1 Albany replaces New York City as capital of New York
- Jan 7 The modern Italian flag is first used
- Jan 15 1st top hat worn by John Etherington of London
- Jan 26 Russia, Prussia and Austria sign treaty
- Jan 30 US Congress refuses to accept 1st petition from African American
- Feb 4 Earthquake in Quito, Ecuador kills 41,000
- Feb 12 Haydn's song "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" premieres in Vienna
Victory in Battle
Feb 14 The Battle of Cape St Vincent: British fleet under Admiral Sir John Jervis defeats larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don José de Córdoba y Ramos near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. Captain Horatio Nelson distinguishes himself.
Horatio Nelson
- Feb 18 Trinidad is surrendered to a British fleet under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby
- Feb 19 One third of papal domain ceded to France
- Feb 21 Trinidad, West Indies, surrenders to British
- Feb 22 The Last Invasion of Britain by the French, begins near Fishguard, Wales
- Feb 25 Colonel William Tate and his force of 1,000-1,500 soldiers surrender after the Last Invasion of Britain (according to legend, to Welsh women in tall black hats, mistaken for elite guards regiment)
- Feb 26 Bank of England issues first £1 note
Event of Interest
Mar 4 John Adams inaugurated as 2nd President of The United States, Thomas Jefferson 2nd Vice President
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
- Mar 28 Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire patents a washing machine
- Apr 16 Spithead Mutiny begins: British Royal Navy sailors protest over living and working conditions and pay near Portsmouth
- Apr 17 Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico, one of the largest invasions of Spanish territories in America
- Apr 18 France & Austria sign ceasefire
- May 10 1st US Navy ship, the "United States," is launched
Napoléon Bonaparte
- May 12 Nore Mutiny: British Royal Navy sailors mutiny on the Thames, England and blockade London
- Jun 2 1st ascent of "Great Mountain" (4,622') in Adirondack, NY (C Broadhead)
- Jun 14 Napoleon forms Ligurian Republic
- Jun 26 Charles Newbold patents 1st cast-iron plow, though farmers fear effects of iron on soil
- Jul 8 1st US senator (William Blount of Tennessee) expelled by impeachment
- Jul 25 Horatio Nelson loses more than 300 men and his right arm during the failed conquest attempt of Tenerife (Spain)
- Aug 3 Emperor Francis I permits Jews who served in military in "Countries of Bohemian Crown" to marry non Jews
- Aug 16 Comet C/1797 P1 (Bouvard-Herschel) approaches 0.0879 AUs of Earth
- Sep 1 2nd National Meeting in Hague
- Oct 11 Battle of Camperdown (Kamperduin): British navy defeats Dutch fleet
- Oct 17 Peace of Campo Formio: Austrian Dutch possessions & France
- Oct 21 The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is launched in Boston
- Oct 22 Andre-Jacques Garnerin makes 1st parachute descent from a balloon in Paris