President:
Pres: (Continental Congress) John Hancock
General
- Americana: Declaration of Independence written - on foundation of Social Contract
Paine prints "Common Sense"
- Finance: U.S. Congress institutes national lottery
- Law: "Articles of Confederation" adopted
- Military: Benedict Arnold defeated at Lake Champlain
Ft. Lee surrenders to British
Moore's Creek Bridge battle
Lafayette agrees to serve in America
- Politics: Continental Congress votes to suppress authority of British crown
East
- Maryland: Congress retires to Baltimore
- Massachusetts: Washington forces British to abandon Boston
- New Jersey: Washington retreats to PA, crosses the Delaware, then defeats Hessian troops at Trenton
- New York: William Howe takes New York
Colonists driven back and defeated in Battle of Long Island
Fire in New York destroys part of lower Manhattan – probably set but colonists protesting British occupation
- Pennsylvania: Howe occupies Philadelphia
- Rhode Island: British commander William Howe takes Rhode Island
South
- Virginia: Virginia Bill of Rights written by George Mason
Push for independence
West and Pacific
- Utah: Fathers Dominguez and Father Escalante enter Utah