January 4 Andre Mechain discovers M80 (globular cluster in Scorpio) January 5 British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Va January 6 Battle of Jersey (Island in UK) January 20 1st edition of Pieter It Hoens "Post of Neder-Rhijn" published January 29 Mozart's opera "Idomeneo" premieres, Munich January 30 Articles of Confederation ratified by 13th state, Maryland February 3 Dutch West Indies island of St. Eustatia taken by British March 1 Continental Congress adopts Articles of Confederation March 13 Sir William Herschel sees "comet" (really discovered Uranus) March 15 Battle of Guilford Court House, North Carolina (British suffer heavy losses) April 8 Premiere of Mozart's violin sonata K379 April 29 French fleet occupies Tobago April 29 French fleet stopped Britain from seizing the Cape of Good Hope May 1 Emperor Jozef II decrees protection of population May 26 Bank of North America incorporates in Philadelphia June 3 Jack Jouett rides to warn Jefferson of British attack July 11 Thomas Hutchins designated Geographer of US August 1 English army under general Cornwallis occupies Yorktown, Virginia August 5 Battle at Doggers Bank: Dutch fleet vs English fleet August 20 George Washington begins to move his troops south to fight Cornwallis August 30 French fleet of 24 ships under Comte de Grasse defeat British under Admiral Graves at battle of Chesapeake Capes in Revolutionary War September 4 Los Angeles founded by 44 in Bahia de las Fumas, (Valley of Smokes) September 5 Battle of Virginia Capes, French defeat British, traps Cornwallis September 25 Joan Derks scatters "On the People of Netherlands" pamphlets September 28 9,000 American forces and 7,000 French forces begin siege of Yorktown October 6 Americans and French begin siege of Cornwallis at Yorktown; last battle of Revolutionary War October 16 Washington takes Yorktown October 17 Cornwallis defeated at Yorktown October 19 Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown at 2 PM; Revolutionary War ends November 5 John Hanson elected 1st "President of U.S. in Congress assembled" November 13 English troops occupy Negapatam Ceylon December 31 Bank of North America, 1st U.S. bank opens
