1775

1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar).

Events

February-March

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

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 children, 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-June

May 10 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress meets, elects John Hancock president, raises the Continental army under George Washington as commander 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 14 - American Revolutionary War: The United States Army is established by the Continental Congress.

June 15 - American Revolutionary War: George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

June 17 - American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bunker Hill - The British forces take Bunker Hill outside of Boston. The patriots are ordered not to fire until they can see "the whites of their eyes".

July

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...".

July 26 - The Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin to be the first Postmaster General of what would later become the United States Post Office Department.

October-December

October 1 - Battle of Lobositz Prussians under Frederick the Great defeat Austrians.

October 13 - American Revolutionary War: The United States Continental Congress orders the establishment of the Continental Navy (later renamed the United States Navy).

November 10 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress passes a resolution creating the Continental Marines (later renamed the United States Marine Corps) to serve as landing troops for the recently created Continental Navy (the Marines were disbanded at end of war in April of 1783 but were reformed on July 11, 1798).

November 10 - Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia founded. Continues today as one of three all men's colleges left in the United States.

November 13 - American Revolutionary War: Battle of Montreal - Patriot revolutionary forces under Col. Ethan Allen capture Montreal from British General Guy Carleton.

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.