References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 April 30.

1785 January 1 "Daily Universal Register" (Times of London) publishes first issue. [1] January 6 Haym Salomon dies in Philadelphia Pennsylvania at 44, helped finance the revolution. [1] January 7 First balloon flight across English Channel (Blanchard and Jeffries). [1] January 10 Death of Heinrich Wilhelm Stiegel in Charming Forge, Pennsylvania, USA; built two ironworks, manufactured of window glass and bottles, founded American Flint Glassworks. [37] January 11 Continental Congress convenes in New York City, New York. [1] January 13 John Walter publishes first issue of London Times. [1] January 14 Mozart completes "Dissonantenkwartet" (opus 10). [1] January 15 Mozarts string quartet opus 10 premieres. [1] January 20 Samuel Ellis advertises to sell Oyster Island (Ellis Island), no takers. [1] January 27 First US state university chartered, Athens GA. [1] February 6 Iman Willem Falck Dutch governor of Ceylon (1765-83), dies at 48. [1] February 19 Johann Christoph Richter composer, dies at 84. [1] February 24 Carlo Bonaparte Corsican attorney, dies at 39. [1] March 1 Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture organized. [1] March 7 France gives Sweden the island of St. Bartholomew in the West Indies. [7] April 21 Russian tsarina Catharina II ends noble privileges. [1] April 26 Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff composer, dies at 40. [1] April 30 Frederick Philipse III land owner (Bronx, Westch and Putnam), dies at 65. [1] May 8 Pietro Longhi painter, dies. [1] May 9 Franz Xaver Schnitzer composer, dies at 44. [1] Joseph Bramah receives British patent for beer pump handles. [1] May 10 Etienne Joseph Floquet composer, dies at 36. [1] May 15 Karel Blazej Kopriva composer, dies at 29. [1] May 23 Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals. [1] William Woollett engraver, dies. [1] June 15 Two French balloonists die in world's first fatal aviation accident. [1] July 6 The dollar is unanimously chosen byUS Congress as the monetary unit for the United States. [1] [5] September 29 Chaidic sect is excommunicated in Cracow Poland. [1] December 8 Antonio Maria Mazzoni composer, dies at 68. [1] December 29 Johann Heinrich Rolle composer, dies at 69. [1] 1786 January 4 Moses Mendelssohn Jewish/German philosopher (Haksalah), dies at 56. [1] [37] February 13 Abraham Baldwin selected president of University of Georgia. [1] February 20 Johann Wolfgang Kleinknecht composer, dies at 70. [1] February 24 Charles Cornwallis appointed Governor-General of India. [1] March 7 Frantisek Benda composer, dies at 76. [1] March 11 Jacobus Bellamy [Zelandus], Dutch/Swiss poet, dies at 28. [1] March 23 Patience Wright first US woman pro artist, dies (birth date unknown). [1] April 20 John Goodricke English deaf and dumb astronomer, dies at 21. [1] April 23 Alexander Cozens English water colors painter, dies at about 68. [1] May 1 Mozart's opera "Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Wien (Vienna). [1] May 5 Pedro III King of Portugal, dies. [1] May 19 John Stanley composer, dies at 74. [1] May 21 Carl W Scheele Swedish pharmacist/chemist, dies at 43. [1] June 8 First commercially-made ice cream sold (New York). [1] July 29 First newspaper published west of Alleghenies, Pittsburgh Gazette. [1] August 9 First ascent of Mount Blanc. [1] August 29 Shay's Rebellion in Springfield, Massachusetts [1] September 11 Annapolis Convention to determine interstate commerce. [1] 1787 January 1 Arthur Middleton US farmer (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at 44. [1] January 11 William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, two moons of Uranus. [1] [5] January 25 Shays' Rebellion suffers a setback when debt-ridden farmers, led by Captain Daniel Shays, fail to capture an arsenal at Springfield Massachusetts. [1] January 28 Philadelphia's Free Africa Society organizes. [1] February 4 First Anglican bishops of New York and Pennsylvania consecrated in London. [1] Shays' Rebellion (of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers) fails. [1] February 12 Ruggiero Boscovich Italian physicist/astronomer/philosopher, dies at 75. [1] February 18 Austrian emperor Jozef II bans children under eight from labor. [1] March 2 Jean Allamand French theologist/natural philosopher, dies at 73. [1] March 11 Maximilian JLP Gardel French ballet dancer/choreographer, dies at 45. [1] April 12 Philadelphia's Free African Society forms. [1] April 16 First American comedy, "The Contrast", makes its debut in New York City. [1] May 6 First Black Masonic Lodge (African #459) forms at Prince Hall, Boston. [1] May 10 Parliament impeaches Warren Hastings. [1] May 13 Arthur Phillip sets sails with 11 ships of criminals to Botany Bay. [1] Johann Michael Malzat composer, dies at 38. [1] May 14 Delegates gather in Philadelphia to draw up US constitution. [1] May 17 English slave ship Sisters, from Africa to Cuba, capsizes. [1] May 25 Constitutional convention opens at Philadelphia, George Washington presiding. [1] May 28 Johann Georg Leopold Mozart Austrian composer, dies at 67. [1] May 29 "Virginia Plan" proposed. [1] June 12 Law passes providing a senator must be at least 30 years old. [1] July 2 de Sade shouts from Bastille that prisoners are being slaughtered. [1] July 13 US Congress establishes Northwest Territory (excludes slavery). [1] Ordinance of 1787: a territory can become three to five states at 60,000 population. [1] August 6 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia begans debate. [1] August 17 Jews are granted permission in Budapest Hungary to pray in groups. [1] August 19 W Herschel discovers Enceladus, a moon of Saturn. [1] August 22 John Fitch's steamboat completes its tests, years before Fulton. [1] September 17 US constitution adopted by Philadelphia convention. [1] September 27 Constitution submitted to the states for ratification. [1] September 28 US Congress sends Constitution to state legislatures for their approval. [1] October 17 Boston blacks, petition legislature for equal school facilities. [1] October 27 Federalist letters start appearing in New York newspapers. [1] October 29 The opera "Don Giovanni" is produced (Prague). [1] November 1 First free school in New York City (African Free School) opens. [1] November 18 First Unitarian minister in US ordained, Boston. [1] November 21 Andrew Jackson admitted to the bar. [1] December 6 Laurens Pieter van de Speigel appointed Dutch pension advisor. [1] December 7 Delaware becomes first state to ratify constitution. [1] December 12 Pennsylvania becomes second state to ratify US constitution. [1] December 18 New Jersey becomes third state to ratify constitution. [1] 1788 January 1 London's Daily Universal Register becomes the Times. [1] Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipate their slaves. [1] January 2 Georgia is 4th state to ratify US constitution. [1] January 5 Johann Schneider composer, dies at 85. [1] January 9 Connecticut becomes 5th state. [1] January 15 Gaetano Latilla composer, dies at 77. [1] January 17 Alessio Prati composer, dies at 37. [1] January 20 Pioneer African Baptist church organizes in Savannah GA. [1] January 26 Captain Arthur Phillip forms English colony at Sydney, Botany Bay New South Wales as a penal colony. [1] January 28 Lord Gordon found guilty of libel of queen of France. [1] January 29 Australia Day. [1] January 31 Charles E Stuart English pretender to the throne, dies at 67. [1] Francesco Zannetti composer, dies at 50. [1] [Bonnie Prince] Charles E Stuart English pretender, dies at 67. [1] February 1 First US steamboat patent issued, by Georgia to Briggs and Longstreet. [1] February 6 Massachusetts becomes 6th state to ratify constitution. [1] February 9 Austria declares war on Russia. [1] February 20 Gijsbert John van Hardenbroeck Dutch regent (Utrecht), dies at 68. [1] February 22 Franz Joseph Oehlschlagel composer, dies at 63. [1] March 1 Orazio Mei composer, dies at 56. [1] March 21 Fire destroyed 856 buildings in New Orleans Louisiana. [1] Gustavus Vassa petitions Queen Charlotte, to free enslaved Africans. [1] March 29 Charles Wesley hymn writer, dies. [1] April 7 First settlement in Ohio, at Marietta. [1] April 12 Carl Joseph Toeschi composer, dies at 56. [1] Carlo Antonio Campioni composer, dies at 67. [1] April 15 England, Netherlands and Prussia sign peace treaty. [1] Giuseppi Bonno composer, dies at 77. [1] April 22 Zacharias H Alewijn Dutch poet, dies 46. [1] April 28 Maryland becomes the 7th state to ratify the constitution. [1] May 9 English parliament accepts abolishing of slave trade. [1] May 12 Louis E van Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Austrian duke, dies at 69. [1] May 23 South Carolina becomes 8th state to ratify US constitution. [1] May 26 Mary Clark of England gives birth to a baby without a brain. [1] May 29 Jacques Aliamet French etcher/engraver, dies at 61. [1] June 11 First British ship built on Pacific coast begun at Nootka Sound, British Columbia, Canada. [1] June 21 US Constitution goes into effect as New Hampshire is 9th to ratify. [1] June 25 Virginia becomes 10th state to ratify US constitution. [1] July 26 New York becomes 11th state to ratify constitution. [1] September 13 New York City becomes capital of the United States. [1] December 12 Joseph Gibbs composer, dies at 88. [1] December 14 Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach German composer, dies at 74. [1] Carlos III King of Naples/Spain (1759-88), dies at 72. [1] December 17 Russian army of Grigorij Potemkin occupies Ochárov. [1] December 19 Chinese troops occupy capital Thang Long Vietnam. [1] December 21 Hue Tay Son becomes emperor Quang Trung of Vietnam. [1] December 23 Maryland votes to cede a 10 square mile area for District of Columbia. [1] December 25 John Logan Scottish conductor (Ode to the Cuckoo), dies at about 40. [1] December 30 Francesco Zuccarelli Italian rococo painter/etcher, dies at 86. [1] 1789 January 1 Christleib Siegmund Binder composer, dies at 65. [1] January 2 Franz Joseph Leonti Meyer von Schavensee composer, dies at 68. [1] January 7 First national (Presidential) election in US. [1] January 10 Pierre Lyonet Dutch zoologist/cryptologist, dies at 82. [1] January 20 Johann Christoph Oley composer, dies at 50. [1] January 21 First American novel, WH Brown's "The Power of Sympathy", is published. [1] January 23 Georgetown, first US Catholic college, founded. [1] January 26 John Odell signs contract for £336 to build Saint Peter's church (Bronx). [1] February 1 Chinese troops driven out of Vietnam capital Thang Long. [1] February 2 Armand-Louis Couperin French composer/organist (Notre Dame), dies at 63. [1] February 4 First electoral college chooses Washington and Adams as President and Vice President. [1] March 2 Pennsylvania ends prohibition of theatrical performances. [1] March 4 FirstUS Congress declares constitution in effect (9 senators, 13 representatives). [1] March 10 Franklin College founded (1787?). [1] March 11 Benjamin Banneker with L'Enfant begin to lay out Washington DC. [1] March 12 US Post Office established. [1] April 1 House of Representatives first full meeting, New York City, New York, F Muhlenberg first speaker. [1] April 6 First US Congress begins regular sessions, Federal Hall, New York City, New York. [1] April 7 Abdül-Hamid I 27th sultan of Turkey (1774-89), dies at 64. [1] Peter Camper anatomist/animal scholar, dies at 66. [1] April 8 House of Representives first meeting. [1] April 16 George Washington heads for first presidential inauguration. [1] April 21 John Adams sworn in as first US Vice President (9 days before Washington). [1] April 23 President-elect George Washington moves into Franklin House, New York. [1] April 26 Peter I Panin Russian General (Pugatshov-uprising), dies at about 67. [1] April 28 Fletcher Christian leads Mutiny on HMS Bounty and Captain William Bligh. [1] April 30 George Washington inaugurated as first President of US. [1] May 5 French States-General for It first since 1614 together. [1] May 7 First inaugural ball (for George Washington in New York City, New York). [1] May 10 Guillaume Gommaire Kennis composer, dies at 72. [1] May 12 Society of Saint Tammany is formed by Revolutionary War soldiers - It later becomes an infamous group of New York City political bosses. [1] June 1 First US congressional act becomes law (on administering oaths). [1] June 3 Alex Mackenzie explores Mackenzie River (Canada). [1] June 9 Spanish capture British schooner Northwest America near Vancouver I. [1] June 13 Mrs Alexander Hamilton serves ice cream for dessert to Washington. [1] June 17 Third Estate in France declared itself a national assembly. [1] July 4 First US tariff act. [1] July 14 Bastille Day-citizens of Paris storm Bastille prison. [1] July 27 US Congress establishes Dept of Foreign Affairs (State dept). [1] August 1 US Customs begins enforcing Tariff Act. [1] August 7 US War Department established. [1] August 25 Mary Ball Washington mother of George, dies. [1] August 27 French National Assembly issues "Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen". [1] August 28 Sir William Herschel discovers Saturn's moon Enceladus. [1] September 2 US Treasury Department established by Congress. [1] September 11 Alexander Hamilton appointed Secretary of the Treasury. [1] September 13 First loan to US Govt (from New York City banks). [1] September 15 Dept of Foreign Affairs, renamed the Dept of State. [1] September 17 William Herschel discovers Mimas, satellite of Saturn. [1] September 22 Office of Postmaster General of the US established by Congress. [1] September 24 US Congress creates the Post Office. [1] US Congress' first Judiciary Act, Attorney General and Supreme Court. [1] September 25 US Congress proposes Bill of Rights (10 of 12 will ratify). [1] September 26 Jefferson appointed first Secretary of State; John Jay first chief justice; Samuel Osgood first Postmaster and Edmund J Randolph first Attorney Genl. [1] September 29 First congress adjourns. [1] US War Dept established a regular army. [1] October 3 Washington proclaims the first national Thanksgiving Day on November 26. [1] October 15 First presidental tour-George Washington in New England. [1] November 8 Bourbon Whiskey, first distilled from corn (by Elijah Craig, Bourbon KY). [1] November 13 Ben Franklin writes "Nothing . . . certain but death and taxes". [1] November 20 New Jersey becomes first state to ratify Bill of Rights. [1] November 21 North Carolina ratifies constitution, becomes 12th US state. [1] November 26 First national thanksgiving. [1] December 3 Claude-Joseph Vernet French seascape painter, dies. [1] December 23 Charles-Michel abbé de l'Epéé (school for the deaf), dies at 77. [1]