Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century
Decades: 1720s 1730s 1740s 1750s 1760s - 1770s - 1780s 1790s 1800s 1810s 1820s
Years: 1770 1771 1772 1773 1774 - 1775 - 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780
Events
- February 9 - American Revolutionary War: British Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion
- March 23 - American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech - "give me liberty or give me death[?]" in Williamsburg, Virginia.
- April 14 - American Revolutionary War: Massachusetts Governor Gage is secretly ordered by the British to enforce the Coercive Acts[?] and suppress open rebellion by an iron hand.
- April 18 - American Revolutionary War: General Gage orders 700 troops to Concord to destroy the rebels' weapons depot.
- April 18 - American Revolutionary War: Paul Revere makes his famous midnight ride - "Listen my childen, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere on the eighteenth of April, in seventy-five; hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year" (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow).
- April 19 - American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Lexington and Concord begins at dawn with a volley on 70 armed Massachusetts militiamen on Lexington Green by the British advance guard, which leaves 8 dead and 10 wounded - "the shot heard around the world".
- May 10 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress meets, elects John Hancock president, and authorizes the colonies to adopt their own constitutions.
- May 10 - American Revolutionary War: Fort Ticonderoga is taken by a small force called the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont, led by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen.
- May 17 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress bans trade with Canada.
- June 15 - American Revolutionary War: George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the new Continental Army.
- June 17 - American Revolutionary War: The battle of Bunker Hill; the patriots are ordered not to fire until they can see "the whites of their eyes".
- July 3 - American Revolutionary War: George Washington takes command of the 17,000-man Continental Army at Cambridge.
- July 5 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress sends the Olive Branch Petition[?], hoping for a reconciliation.
- August 23 - American Revolutionary War: Refusing to even look at the Olive Branch Petition, King George issues a Declaration of Rebellion[?] against the American colonies.
- July 6 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress issues Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms[?], which contains the words: "Our cause is just. Our union is perfect... being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves...".
- November 10 - The United States Marine Corps is established in Pennsylvania by the Continental Congress.
- November 28 - The United States Navy is established by the Continental Congress.
- December 31 - American Revolutionary War: British forces repulse an attack by Continental Army generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold at Quebec.
Births
Deaths