What happened in 1770–1779

World12

• 1773The hymn that becomes known as Amazing Grace, at this time titled "1 Chronicles 17:16–17", is first used to accompany a sermon led by curate John Newton in the town of Olney, Buckinghamshire, England.
• 1774The Continental Congress in America adopts the Declaration of Rights and Resolves, with 10 principles.
• 1774The first Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia.
• 1775American Revolution: The Continental Congress names George Washington as commander of the Continental Army.
• 1775The post of Commanding General is created by the Continental Congress.
• 1776American Revolutionary War:
• 1776American Revolutionary War: American Patriots conduct a Raid on Tybee Island, primarily seeking to capture runaway slaves who sought refuge with British forces stationed there.
• 1776Juan Bautista de Anza finds the site for the Presidio of San Francisco.
• 1776Delegates of most of the American colonies sign the Declaration of Independence.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: The Marquis de Lafayette attempts to enter the American military as a major general.
• 1777The Continental Congress approves a resolution "that an unauthentic copy, with names of the signers of the Declaration of independence, be sent to each of the United States.
• 1779War of the Bavarian Succession – Russian and French mediators at the Congress of Teschen negotiate an end to the war. In the agreement Austria receives a part of the Bavarian territory (the Innviertel), and relinquishes the rest.

North America52

• 1775American Revolution – Battles of Lexington and Concord: Hostility between Britain and its American colonies explodes into bloodshed, igniting the American Revolutionary War.
• 1775American Revolutionary War – Battle of Machias: In the first naval engagement of the American Revolution, Patriot forces capture the schooner HMS Margaretta.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Burning of Norfolk – The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: American Patriots capture Dorchester Heights, dominating the port of Boston.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Threatened by Patriot cannons on Dorchester Heights, the British evacuate Boston, ending the 11‑month Siege of Boston.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Sullivan's Island – South Carolina militia repel a British attack on Charleston.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet – The American Continental Navy successfully challenges the British Royal Navy blockade off New Jersey.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: An abortive peace conference takes place between the British and Americans, on Staten Island.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Landing at Kip's Bay – British troops land on Manhattan at Kips Bay.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Harlem Heights – The Continental Army under Washington is victorious against the British on Manhattan.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: 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 the defenses of New York City.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Pell's Point – Troops of the American Continental Army resist a British and Hessian force in The Bronx.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of White Plains – British forces arrive at White Plains, attack and capture Chatterton Hill from the Americans.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Fort Washington – Hessian forces under Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen capture Fort Washington (Manhattan) from the American Continental Army.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: Battle of Fort Lee – The invasion of New Jersey, by British and Hessian forces, leads to the subsequent general retreat of the American Continental Army.

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Europe28

• 1770Gaspar de Portolà and Father Junípero Serra establish Monterey, the presidio of Alta California territory for Spain from 1777–1822, United Mexican States 1824–1846, until the California Republic.
• 1770August 1 (July 21 O.S.) – Russo-Turkish War (1768–74) – Battle of Kagul: Russian commander Pyotr Rumyantsev routs 150,000 Turks.
• 1773Under pressure from the Bourbon courts, Pope Clement XIV suppresses the Society of Jesus (brief Dominus ac Redemptor). Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, expels the order from his territories.
• 1774Intolerable Acts: The British Parliament passes the Boston Port Act, closing the port of Boston, Massachusetts, as punishment for the Boston Tea Party.
• 1774Louis XVI becomes King of France, following the death of his grandfather, Louis XV.
• 1774The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Quebec Act, setting out rules of governance for the colony of Quebec in British North America, enlarging its territory as far south as the Ohio River and west to the Mississippi River, in the area now occupied by the U.S. states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and granting freedom of religion for Roman Catholics.
• 1775American Revolution: John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, British royal governor of the Colony of Virginia, signs Dunmore's Proclamation, declaring martial law and offering freedom to slaves of Patriots who run away from their owners and join the Loyalist forces (formal proclamation November 15) thus losing the support of planters who see slaves as their vital livelihood.
• 1776Adam Weishaupt founds the Illuminati in Ingolstadt, Bavaria.
• 1776The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata is established in southern South America.
• 1776Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume dies in Edinburgh.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: World's first submarine attack – The American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe's flagship in New York Harbor.
• 1776American Revolutionary War – Nathan Hale is executed by the British in New York City for espionage.
• 1778Former British prime minister William Pitt delivers his last speech to Parliament, and speaks to the House of Lords "passionately but incoherently against the granting of independence" to the American colonies, but collapses during the debate, and dies five weeks later.
• 1778The La Scala Opera House opens in Milan, with the première of Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.
• 1779Captain James Cook is killed on the Sandwich Islands, on his third voyage.

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USSR / Russia4

• 1772The First Partition of Poland is agreed to by Russia and Prussia, later including Austria.
• 1773Emelian Pugachev starts Pugachev's Rebellion in Russia, attacking and occupying Samara.
• 1774Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca with Russian victory, ending six years of war. The treaty gives Russia the right to intervene in Ottoman politics, to protect its Christian subjects.
• 1774Yemelyan Pugachev, leader of Pugachev's Rebellion against Russia by the Yaik Cossacks, is betrayed by his own men after returning to Yaitsk (now Oral, Kazakhstan).

Asia1

• 1775Raghunathrao, Peshwa of the Maratha Empire in India, signs the Treaty of Surat with the British Governor-General Warren Hastings in Bombay ceding the territories of Salsette and Bassein to the British East India Company along with part of the revenues from Surat and Bharuch districts in return for military assistance. This leads to the First Anglo-Maratha War fought between the British and the Marathas, ending with the Treaty of Salbai in 1782.

Middle East3

• 1770Battle of Chesma and Battle of Larga: The Russian Empire defeats the Ottoman Empire in both battles. When the news of the defeat reaches the Ottoman city of Smyrna (July 8), the crowd attacks the Greek community of the city (perceived as favourable to the Russian cause) and kills an estimated 200 Greeks and three Western Europeans (although some reports estimate the number of victims at 3,000 or even 5,000 including "3 or 4 thousands who die due to the fright").
• 1773Istanbul Technical University is established (under the name of Royal School of Naval Engineering) as the world's first comprehensive institution of higher learning dedicated to engineering education.
• 1774Mustafa III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, dies and is succeeded by his brother Abdul Hamid I.