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Date |
Event(s) |
| 1 | 1613 |
- 21 Feb 1613—15 Mar 1917: The Romanov Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia, begins when 16 year old Mikhail Romanov is elected as Czar.Russiapedia Hillwood
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| 2 | 1660 |
- 29 May 1660—6 Feb 1685: Charles II. Ruler of England 1660-1685. House of Stuart (restored): Eldest son of Charles I, died without issue. De Jure King from Jan 30, 1649.HistoricUK
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| 3 | 1679 |
- 27 May 1679: The Habeas Corpus Act, which required a court to examine the lawfulness of a prisoner's detention and thus prevent unlawful or arbitrary imprisonment, was passed by Parliament.AS LI
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| 4 | 1681 |
- 4 Mar 1681: William Penn receives a charter for "New Wales", which became "Sylvania" and finally Pennsylvania.XPH HSP
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| 5 | 1682 |
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| 6 | 1683 |
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| 7 | 1684 |
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| 8 | 1685 |
- 6 Feb 1685—11 Dec 1689: James II. Ruler of England 1685-1689. House of Stuart (restored): 2nd son of Charles I. Deposed 1688, interregnum Dec 11, 1688, to Feb 13, 1689.HistoricUK
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| 9 | 1687 |
- 19 Mar 1687: French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle is murdered by mutinous settlers.AJ TXL&L
- 26 Oct 1687: Sir Edmund Andros, governor of New England, attempts to force the Connecticut Colony to surrender its charter, which is then hidden away in an oak tree, the Charter Oak.NEHS JSTOR
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| 10 | 1688/9 |
- 13 Feb 1688/9: After accepting the English Bill of Rights, William and Mary are proclaimed king and queen of England.UR NCC
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| 11 | 1689 |
- 18 Apr 1689: Bostonians revolt against the rule of Sir Edmund Andros, the governor of the Dominion of New England.MAState NEHS
- 17 May 1689—30 Oct 1697: King William's War; England declares war on France which lasts until the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick.HoMA MB
- 4 Nov 1689—8 Mar 1702: William III and Mary II. Rulers of England 1689-1702. House of Stuart (restored): Son of William, Prince of Orange, by Mary, daughter of Charles I. Mary eldest daughter of James II. She died 1694.HistoricUK
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| 12 | 1690 |
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| 13 | 1691 |
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| 14 | 1692 |
- 20 Jan 1692: The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria begins.UMKC SWT
- 29 Feb 1692: The first witchcraft accusations take place and arrest warrants are issued for Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne.LoA WSU
- 2 Jun 1692: The Salem Witch Trials begin.UVA FT
- 7 Jun 1692: The pirate haven of Port Royal, Jamaica is destroyed in a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami, portions sinking beneath the sea.UNESCO B B C
- 10 Jun 1692: Bridget Bishop becomes the first of the accused Salem witches to be executed.Salem SWM
- 19 Jul 1692: Salem "witches", Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe and Sarah Wildes are executed.SW PJ
- 22 Sep 1692: The last execution of the accused Salem witches is carried out.BostonMag LoA
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| 15 | 1693 |
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| 16 | 1697 |
- 20 Sep 1697: The Treaty of Ryswick settles the Nine Years War and ends hostilities in America, although that wouldn't happen for another two months.Jacobite theMet
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| 17 | 1698 |
- 2 Jul 1698: Englishman Thomas Savery patents a steam engine.APS MSH
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| 18 | 1700 |
- 26 Jan 1700: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake strikes off the west coast of North America producing a huge tsunami that sweeps across the Pacific.NRCan USGS
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| 19 | 1702 |
- 8 Mar 1702—1 Aug 1714: Anne. Ruler of England 1702-1714. House of Stuart (restored): 2nd daughter of James II. Died with no living heirs.HistoricUK
- 17 Apr 1702: The Provinces of West New Jersey and East New Jersey merge to form New Jersey.GoogleBooks THS
- 4 May 1702—11 Apr 1713: Queen Anne's War: English Colonies vs France 1702-1713.CB CWCT
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| 20 | 1704 |
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| 21 | 1712 |
- 1712: Thomas Newcomen patents the atmospheric steam engine.JStor
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| 22 | 1713 |
- 11 Apr 1713: The Treaty of Utrecht is signed ending the War of the Spanish Succession, also known as Queen Anne's War in North America.CHNC CBC
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| 23 | 1714 |
- 1 Aug 1714—11 Jun 1727: George I. Ruler of England 1714-1727. House of Hanover: Son of Elector of Hanover, by Sophia, grand-daughter of James I. Proclaimed King under Act of Settlement.HistoricUK
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| 24 | 1715 |
- 23 Jul 1715: The General Court of Massachusetts passes the Boston Light Bill which authorizes the construction of a lighthouse in Boston Harbor.MassMoments MM&P
- 31 Jul 1715: A hurricane sinks a fleet of treasure ships returning to Spain.CW IRMag
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| 25 | 1716 |
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| 26 | 1717 |
- 27 Feb 1717—7 Mar 1717: A series of four successive snowstorms create the Great Snow of 1717.NEHS NWS
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| 27 | 1718 |
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| 28 | 1719 |
- 11 Dec 1719: The first recorded sighting of the aurora borealis in North America occurs in New England.DE tOFA
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| 29 | 1721 |
- 26 Jun 1721: During a smallpox outbreak in Boston, Dr. Zabdiel Boylston begins inoculating patients beginning with his own son.MassMoments CW
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| 30 | 1722 |
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| 31 | 1727 |
- 11 Jun 1727—25 Oct 1760: George II. Ruler of England 1727-1760. House of Hanover: Only son of George I, married Caroline of Brandenburg.HistoricUK
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| 32 | 1729 |
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| 33 | 1730 |
- 8 Apr 1730: The first synagogue in North America is the Mill Street Synagogue built by the Shearith Israel congregation in New York City.ShearithIsrael JWA
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| 34 | 1733 |
- 12 Feb 1733: James Oglethorpe founds Georgia, the 13th colony, and its first city at Savannah.GHS OU
- 17 May 1733: Britain passes the Molasses Act putting high tariffs on rum and molasses imported to the Colonies from anyplace other than Britain and its possessions.GoogleBooks JotAR
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| 35 | 1734 |
- 1 Apr 1734: The first lighthouse in Canada begins operation.LLS CCN
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| 36 | 1741 |
- 19 Dec 1741: Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer in service of Russia, dies after sighting Alaska.McGill MLP
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| 37 | 1744 |
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| 38 | 1752 |
- 10 May 1752: Thomas-François Dalibard validates Benjamin Franklin's conclusion that lightning is electricity.USNA APS
- 15 Jun 1752: Benjamin Franklin performs his kite experiment.PSU HC
- 14 Sep 1752: The British Empire adopts the Gregorian calendar.CSL CalWiz
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| 39 | 1753 |
- 11 Feb 1753: The first patients are admitted to the first hospital in America, Pennsylvania Hospital, founded by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin in 1751.PennMed UMW
- 7 Jun 1753: The world's oldest public museum, the British Museum is founded by Act of Parliament.BM tSP
- 9 Sep 1753: The first steam engine in America arrives from London.NEHGS ASME
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| 40 | 1754 |
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| 41 | 1755 |
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| 42 | 1758 |
- 8 Jun 1758: John Dollond reports on his development of the achromatic lens.Astro.it GoogleBooks
- 27 Jul 1758: British and colonial forces defeat French and Canadian forces at the Battle of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia.BB CTHist
- 25 Nov 1758: Fort Duquesne is captured from the French, which will later become Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.F&IWS
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| 43 | 1759 |
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| 44 | 1760 |
- 20 Mar 1760: A "Great Fire" begins at a tavern in Boston and destroys about 350 homes, shops and warehouses by the time it is over.MassMoments BFHS
- 25 Oct 1760—29 Jan 1820: George III. Ruler of England 1760-1820. House of Hanover: Grandson of George II, married Charlotte of Mecklenburg.HistoricUK LoC
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| 45 | 1762 |
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| 46 | 1763 |
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| 47 | 1764 |
- 29 Oct 1764: The Connecticut Courant, today's Hartford Courant and the nation's oldest newspaper in continuous publication, prints its first issue.LoC Courant
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| 48 | 1765 |
- 22 Mar 1765: The Stamp Act is passed by the British Parliament - a tax imposed on American colonists on any printed paper.GLIoAH Avalon
- 18 May 1765: A fire destroys much of Montreal, Canada.MG GoogleBooks
- 1 Nov 1765: The Stamp Act goes into effect - a tax on the Colonies to fund the British Military in America.CC SAH
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| 49 | 1769 |
- 5 Jan 1769: James Watt patents his much improved steam engine.ACS WoWE
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| 50 | 1770 |
- 5 Mar 1770: The Boston Massacre. British troops kill five colonists.LoC NPS
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| 51 | 1772 |
- 9 Jun 1772: The British customs schooner Gaspée runs aground in Narragansett Bay and is burned by the Rhode Island colonists.Gaspee.org WH
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| 52 | 1773 |
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| 53 | 1774 |
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| 54 | 1775 |
- 9 Feb 1775: British Parliament declares that Massachusetts is in a state of rebellion.LoA OAR
- 23 Mar 1775: Patrick Henry utters his most memorable words: "Give me liberty, or give me death" at the Second Virginia Convention.CW Avalon
- 14 Apr 1775: The first American abolition society is founded in Philadelphia.USNA LCP
- 18 Apr 1775: Paul Revere rides out to warn the colonists that the British troops were on the march.PRH LoC
- 19 Apr 1775: The first battles of the American Revolution. British troops fight American Minutemen at Lexington, killing eight. The British then move to Concord where they again engage the colonials. By the end of the battle, 93 colonists are dead. The British, having lost 273, retreat to Boston.LoC NPS
- 10 May 1775: Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen capture Fort Ticonderoga.NPS VANY
- 7 Jun 1775: The proposal is put forth that the United Colonies become the United States of America.USNA LoC
- 14 Jun 1775: The Continental Army is established by the Second Continental Congress.USArmy USO
- 17 Jun 1775: The Battle of Bunker Hill takes place.LoC Yale
- 22 Jun 1775: The Continental Congress resolves to issue a paper currency backed by 2 million Spanish milled dollars in order to fund the fight with Britain.POLITICO LoC
- 30 Jun 1775: The Continental Congress attempts to notify the king of England that American colonists are unhappy with parliamentary policy by drafting the Articles of War.Avalon LoC
- 26 Jul 1775: The United States Post Service is established by the Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin is named Postmaster General.USPSOIG USNA
- 13 Oct 1775: Congress orders the formation of the Continental Navy, later to become the United States Navy.USNavy NPS
- 18 Oct 1775: Falmouth is burned by the British.MM UMaine
- 10 Nov 1775: A resolution is approved calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore.WHS USNI
- 13 Nov 1775: The American Continental Army takes Montreal, Canada, without opposition.History.com
- 3 Dec 1775: The first flag of the United States is flown by John Paul Jones on the ship Alfred.SIMag Navy
- 8 Dec 1775—31 Dec 1775: American forces begin the Seige of Québec.LoC History.com
- 31 Dec 1775: After nearly a month, Continental forces, under command of Montgomery and Arnold, are soundly defeated after attacking Québec.CMoH SIMag
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| 55 | 1776 |
- 2 Jan 1776: The U. S. Congress publishes the Tory Act.LoC NYHS
- 9 Jan 1776: Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense.CC BookRags
- 24 Jan 1776: After several months, the cannons captured at Fort Ticonderoga make it to Boston.APC AHC
- 17 Mar 1776: The British evacuate Boston after learning that the Continental Army has cannon trained on them from Dorchester Heights.MassMoments MassHist
- 3 Apr 1776: Congress gives to commanders of private ships the authority to capture British ships and cargo.LoC CTDA
- 7 Apr 1776: The American warship Lexington captures the first British warship of the American Revolution, the HMS Edward.RW DoD
- 4 Jul 1776—1783: The United States is founded when the Second Continental Congress declares its independence from Great Britain.USHistory USNA
- 10 Aug 1776: Word of America's Declaration of Independence finally reaches London.TXSAR OSA
- 27 Aug 1776: The British defeat the Americans in the Battle of Long Island.BB MtVernon
- 7 Sep 1776: David Bushnell's invention, American Turtle, the first combat submarine, is deployed against the H.M.S. Eagle in New York harbor.USSNautilus Archaeology
- 9 Sep 1776: Congress gives the United Colonies a name change - the United States of America.ANSI USNA
- 16 Sep 1776: George Washington gets his first victory in the Battle of Harlem Heights.MtVernon RW
- 22 Sep 1776: Nathan Hale is executed by the British for spying.tAW LoC
- 28 Oct 1776: British and Hessian troops under Howe meet Americans under Washington in the Battle of White Plains.MtVernon BB
- 16 Nov 1776: British and Hession forces capture Fort Washington on the northern end of Manhattan.History.com BB
- 25 Dec 1776: Washington crosses the Delaware.History.com MtVernon
- 26 Dec 1776: Washington gets his first major victory at Trenton.MtVernon BB
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| 56 | 1777 |
- 3 Jan 1777: Washington defeats the British in the Battle of Princeton.MtVernon BB
- 15 Jan 1777: New Connecticut declares its independence from Great Britain and the colony of New York. The name is changed to Vermont in June of that year.History.com UND
- 28 Jan 1777: British General Burgoyne submits a plan to cut off and isolate New England from the rest of the Colonies.History.com TXSAR
- 26 Apr 1777: Major General William Tryon, royal governor of New York, and 2000 British troops attack and destroy Danbury, Connecticut.DM ABT
- 14 Jun 1777: The Continental Congress adopts the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States of America.LoC SI
- 8 Jul 1777: Vermont abolishes slavery in its constitution.Avalon VT
- 9 Jul 1777: New York State elects its first, and longest serving, governor, George Clinton.POLITICO USNA
- 17 Oct 1777: British troops surrender at Saratoga.Saratoga AoC
- 15 Nov 1777: The Articles of Confederation are adopted by the Continental Congress.OurDocs LoC
- 29 Nov 1777: The first pueblo in California is established as San Jose, or El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadelupe.SJPL SJ.gov
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| 57 | 1778 |
- 18 Jan 1778: The first Europeans make landfall in Hawaii.W I R E D NPS
- 22 Apr 1778: John Paul Jones raids Whitehaven, England.JotAR JPJCM
- 11 Nov 1778: The Cherry Valley Massacre - Tory and Mohawk forces murder 47 townsfolk, mostly by tomahawk.CN SotS
- 10 Dec 1778: John Jay is elected president of the Continental Congress.USHouse History.com
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| 58 | 1779 |
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| 59 | 1780 |
- 3 Feb 1780: The first mass murder in America changes the way criminals are perceived.Courant CTMag
- 4 May 1780: The American Academy of Arts & Sciences is founded.TiS AAoA&S
- 19 May 1780: Smoke from forest fires cause The Dark Day of 1780.NEHS HI
- 21 Sep 1780: Treasonous American General Benedict Arnold, believing that he was unrewarded for his military successes, meets with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British.NCC LoC
- 9 Oct 1780: An expedition sets off from Harvard College to observe a solar eclipse from Penobscot Bay in Maine which is still controlled by Britain.USNA JSTOR
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| 60 | 1781 |
- 5 Jan 1781: Richmond, Virginia is captured and burned by American traitor and British general Benedict Arnold.AMN VAMoH&C
- 17 Jan 1781: the American militia, led by Colonel Daniel Morgan, defeat the British under Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton in the Battle of Cowpens.BB fold3
- 13 Mar 1781: British astronomer William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus while surveying the sky with his telescope.
UT EarthSky
- 15 Mar 1781: British troops under Cornwallis defeat a larger American force at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina.NPS BB
- 22 Aug 1781: The first slaves win their freedom in Massachusetts.MHS MassMoments
- 4 Sep 1781: The city of Los Angeles is founded.LACity LoC
- 6 Sep 1781: Benedict Arnold attacks and burns New London, Connecticut.CTHist FtGriswold
- 28 Sep 1781: The Siege of Yorktown begins. American and French forces surround British forces.BB MtVernon
- 19 Oct 1781: Cornwallis surrenders to Washington at Yorktown.AoC LoC
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| 61 | 1782 |
- 7 Aug 1782: The Purple Heart is established by General George Washington at Newburgh, New York.NPHHoH USArmy
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| 62 | 1783 |
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| 63 | 1784 |
- 28 Feb 1784: John Wesley, an Anglican (Church of England) minister, charters the first Methodist Church in the United States.History.com IC
- 3 Jun 1784: The United States Army is established when Congress votes to form the 1st American Regiment for national service.USArmy HFS
- 21 Aug 1784: Benjamin Franklin makes mention of, in letters, bi-focal eyeglasses he had invented earlier about 1780.eNotes AS
- 23 Aug 1784—1788: The state of Franklin is created from parts of North Carolina and Tennessee.NCDNCR ETNHS
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| 64 | 1785 |
- 7 Jan 1785: The first international flight occurs when Blanchard and Jeffries fly a balloon across the English Channel.StratoCat SI
- 6 Jul 1785: Congress adopts "dollar" as the U. S. currency name.LoC LCC
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| 65 | 1786 |
- 8 Jun 1786: The first advertisement for commercially-made ice cream in the U. S. is published in the New York Post Boy.NYTimes OAA
- 8 Aug 1786: The value of a dollar is established by the U. S. Congress.LoC USHouse
- 29 Aug 1786: An armed uprising, Shays' Rebellion, begins in western Massachusetts when foreclosure processes are allowed to move forward against farmers who had previously served their country.STCC LH
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| 66 | 1787 |
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| 67 | 1788 |
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1678 -