1776

Events from the year **1776 in the United States**. This year is celebrated in the United States as the official beginning of its nationhood, with the Declaration of Independence issued on July 4.

## Events

### July

* July 4
	+ American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence, in which the United States officially declares independence from the British Empire, is approved by the Continental Congress and signed by its president, John Hancock, together with representatives from Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia.
	+ John Rutledge is sworn in as the 31st governor of South Carolina.
* July 5 – Patrick Henry is sworn in as the first governor of Virginia.
* July 8
	+ American Revolution: The Liberty Bell rings for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia.
	+ American Revolution: Battle of Gwynn's Island begins.
* July 9 – American Revolution: An angry mob in New York City topples the equestrian statue of George III in Bowling Green.
* July 10 – American Revolution: Battle of Gwynn's Island ends.
* July 15 – American Revolution: Battle of Lindley's Fort.
* July 26 – Francisco Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, Francisco Atanasio Domínguez, and eight other Spaniards set out from Santa Fe on an eighteen-hundred mile trek through the American Southwest. They are the first Europeans to explore the vast region between the Rockies and the Sierras.

### August

* August 12 – American Revolution: A parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence is signed by 56 members of Congress (not all of whom had been present on July 4)
* August 15 – American Revolution: First Hessian troops land on Staten Island to join British forces.
* August 27 – American Revolution: Battle of Long Island: Washington's troops routed in Brooklyn by British under William Howe.
* August 31 – William Livingston is sworn in as the first governor of New Jersey.

### September

* September 1 – Invasion of Cherokee Nation by 6,000 patriot troops from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina begins. The troops destroy 36 Cherokee towns.
* September 7 – American Revolution: World's first submarine attack. American submersible craft *Turtle* attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe's flagship *HMS Eagle* in New York Harbor.
* September 11 – American Revolution: The British and Americans meet at the Staten Island Peace Conference seeking to end the revolution. The meeting is brief and unsuccessful.
* September 15 – American Revolution: British land on Manhattan Landing at Kip's Bay.
* September 16 – American Revolution: Battle of Harlem Heights is fought, and won, making it Washington's first battle field victory.
* September 21 – American Revolution: Great Fire of New York begins.
* September 22
	+ American Revolution: Nathan Hale executed in New York City for espionage.
	+ American Revolution: Great Fire of New York ends.

### October

* October 9 – Father Francisco Palou founds Mission San Francisco de Asis in what is now San Francisco, California.
* October 10 – Johnathan Trumbull is sworn in as the 16th governor of the Newley formed state of Connecticut.
* October 11 – American Revolution: Battle of Valcour Island: On Lake Champlain near Valcour Island, a British fleet led by Sir Guy Carleton defeats 15 American gunboats commanded by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. Although nearly all of Arnold's ships are destroyed, the two-day-long battle will give Patriot forces enough time to prepare defenses of New York City.
* October 18 – American Revolution: Battle of Pell's Point.
* October 22 – American Revolution: Battle of Mamaroneck.
* October 28 – American Revolution: Battle of White Plains: British forces arrive at White Plains, attack and capture Chatterton Hill from the Americans.
* October 31 – In his first speech before British Parliament since the Declaration of Independence that summer, King George III acknowledges that all is not going well for Britain in the war with the United States.

### November

* November 10 – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Cumberland begins.
* November 16 – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Washington: Hessian forces under Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen capture Fort Washington (Manhattan) from the American Continental Army.
* November 20 – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Lee: Invasion of New Jersey by British and Hessian forces and subsequent general retreat of the Continental Army.
* November 28 – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Cumberland ends.

### December

* December 5 – Phi Beta Kappa honor society founded at the College of William and Mary.
* December 7 – American Revolution: Marquis de Lafayette attempts to enter the American military as a major general.
* December 14 – American Revolution: Ambush of Geary.
* December 19 – American Revolution: Thomas Paine, living with Washington's troops, publishes the first in the series of pamphlets on *The American Crisis* in *The Pennsylvania Journal*, opening with the stirring phrase, "These are the times that try men's souls."
* December 21 – American Revolution: The Royal Colony of North Carolina reorganizes into the State of North Carolina after adopting its own constitution. Richard Caswell becomes the first governor of the newly formed state.
* December 22 – American Revolution: Battle of Iron Works Hill begins.
* December 23 – American Revolution: Battle of Iron Works Hill ends.
* December 25 – American Revolution: At 6 p.m. Gen. George Washington and his troops, numbering 2,400, march to McConkey's Ferry, cross the Delaware River, and land on the New Jersey bank by 3 a.m. the following morning.
* December 26 – American Revolution: Battle of Trenton: Washington's troops surprise the 1500 Hessian troops under the command of Col. Johann Rall at 8 a.m. outside Trenton and score a victory, taking 948 prisoners while suffering only 5 wounded.

## Memoriam

* August 1 – Francis Salvador, patriot (aged 29; Pickens County, SC, USA)
* September 22 – Nathan Hale, spy (aged 21; New York City, NY, USA)
* December 27 – Johann Rall, Hessian colonel (aged 50; Trenton, NJ, USA)