| February 16 | 1st publication of Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard" |
| February 25 | 1st performing monkey exhibited in America, New York City (admission 1cent) |
| April 5 | Adolf Frederik of Holstein-Gottorp crowns himself king of Sweden |
| May 1 | 1st American cricket match is played |
| May 11 | 1st U.S. hospital founded (Pennsylvania Hospital) |
| July 29 | 1st international world title prize fight-Jack Stack of England, beats challenger M Petit of France in 29 minutes in England |
| July 31 | Fire in Stockholm destroys 1,000 houses |
| August 24 | Thomas Colley executed in England for drowning supposed witch |
| August 30 | Georg Friedrich Handel completes oratorio "Jephtha" |
| August 31 | English troops under sir Robert Clive occupy Arcot India |
| September 12 | Amsterdam refuses establishment of Jewish ghetto |
| September 13 | England signs Austrian and Russian alliance |
| October 20 | Royal ship Duc de Bourgogne launched at Rochefort |
| December 23 | France sets plan to tax clergymen |
