Year by year · 18th century

1775

1775 in world history: 16 events, 13 births, 11 deaths, 2 states founded and 3 that came to an end. 1,296 recorded states existed that year.

Events

  1. 9 February

    Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion

    Both Houses of Parliament declared Massachusetts in a state of rebellion and asked the King to enforce the law. Fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord two months later.

  2. 23 March

    Patrick Henry declares 'Give me liberty, or give me death!'

    At the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond, Henry urged the colony to raise a militia against Britain. The convention agreed, and fighting began at Lexington four weeks later.

    Virginia

  3. 18 April

    Paul Revere rides to warn of British troops

    Paul Revere and William Dawes rode from Boston to warn that British regulars were marching to seize colonial arms. The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired at dawn the next day.

    Boston

  4. 19 April

    Shots at Lexington and Concord begin the American Revolution

    Militiamen clashed with British regulars at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, and harried them all the way back to Boston. The skirmishes began the War of Independence.

    Boston

  5. 19 April · Battle

    Battles of Lexington and Concord

    The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on 19 April 1775 in Massachusetts, were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

  6. 10 May

    Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia

    Delegates from the colonies gathered weeks after Lexington and Concord. The Congress created the Continental Army, appointed George Washington to command it and declared independence in 1776.

  7. 17 June

    British take Breed's Hill at heavy cost in the Battle of Bunker Hill

    After two failed assaults, British troops drove colonial militia from the heights near Boston. They suffered more than 1,000 casualties, proving the Americans could stand against regulars.

    Boston

  8. 10 November

    The Continental Congress creates the Continental Marines

    The Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Marines. The date is celebrated as the birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

    United States

  9. 13 November

    American forces occupy Montreal

    Continental troops under Richard Montgomery entered Montreal unopposed during the invasion of Canada. The campaign collapsed after the failed assault on Quebec City at the end of the year.

    QuebecCanada

  10. Event

    Provincial reform of Catherine II

    The provincial reform of Catherine II, set out in the Statute for the Administration of the Provinces of 1775, reorganised local government in the Russian Empire after Pugachev's Rebellion.

ProfileState1114 states with a known seat in 1775Open the atlas at 1775 →

In the profiles

Wars and longer events

Born in 1775 13

Died in 1775 11

States founded 2

States that came to an end 3

Great speeches

Give Me Liberty or Give Me DeathPatrick Henry

All years → The 18th century →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1775. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1775
MLA
“1775.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1775. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1775.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1775.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1775’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1775 (Accessed: ).