1777 in the United States

Events from the year 1777 in the United States.

Incumbents

 * President of the Second Continental Congress: John Hancock (until October 29), Henry Laurens (starting November 1)

January–March

 * January 2 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton: American forces under the command of George Washington repulse a British attack near Trenton, New Jersey.
 * January 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Princeton: American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis.
 * January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís founded in what is now Santa Clara, California.
 * January 15 – Vermont declares its independence from New York, becoming the Vermont Republic, an independent country, a status it retains until it joins the United States as the 14th state in 1791.
 * January 20 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Millstone, part of the Forage War
 * January 22 – The first headstone is created in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, Massachusetts (now Maine).
 * February 1 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Drake's Farm, part of the Forage War
 * February 5 – Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond and Wilkes Counties, Georgia are created.
 * February 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quibbletown, part of the Forage War
 * February 12 – John McKinly is sworn in as the first president of Delaware.
 * February 23 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Spanktown, part of the Forage War
 * March 5 – Thomas Wharton Jr. is sworn in as the first president of Pennsylvania.
 * March 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Pun Hill, part of the Forage War
 * March 21 – Thomas Johnson is sworn as the first governor of Maryland.

April–June

 * April 7 – The first session of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 meet in New Bern, North Carolina.
 * April 13 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bound Brook: A British and Hessian force led by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis surprises a Continental Army outpost in New Jersey commanded by Major General Benjamin Lincoln.
 * April 26 – American Revolutionary War: 16-year-old Sybil Ludington is said to have ridden 40 mi through the night to warn militiamen under the control of her father Henry that British troops had raided Danbury, Connecticut.
 * April 27 – American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Ridgefield: A British invasion force engages and defeats Continental Army regulars and militia irregulars at Ridgefield, Connecticut.
 * May – The Virginia General Assembly establishes Powhatan County and Powhatan.
 * May 9 – The first session of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 ends and charters Johnston County Court House as Smithfield.
 * May 14 – The Treasurer of the United Colonies changes to the Treasurer of the United States.
 * May 16 – Lachlan McIntosh and Button Gwinnett shoot each other during a duel near Savannah, Georgia. Gwinnett, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, dies three days later.
 * May 17 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Thomas Creek.
 * May 23 – American Revolutionary War: Meigs Raid.
 * May 29 – Patrick Henry is reelected the first Governor of Virginia.
 * June 1
 * An election is held for the Governor of New York but took a long time for the votes to be cast until July 9.
 * Caswell County, North Carolina is created.
 * Patrick Henry is sworn in for his second term as the first Governor of Virginia.
 * June 13 – American Revolution: The Marquis de Lafayette lands near Charleston, South Carolina to help the Continental Congress train its army.
 * June 14
 * The Stars and Stripes is adopted by the Continental Congress as the flag of the United States.
 * The Saratoga campaign begins.
 * June 26 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Short Hills.
 * June 27 – James Parsons becomes the Vice President of South Carolina succeeding Henry Laurens.

July–September

 * July 4 – The first organized Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia: included fireworks set off from the city's commons.
 * July 6 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga – After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York.
 * July 7 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Hubbardton – British forces engage American troops retreating from Fort Ticonderoga.
 * July 8
 * The Constitution of Vermont is adopted. This constitution was the first in what is now the territory of the United States to prohibit slavery, grant suffrage to non-landowning males, and require free public education.
 * American Revolutionary War: Battle of Fort Anne.
 * July 9 – George Clinton elected the first Governor of New York defeating Major General Philip Schuyler.
 * July 30 – George Clinton is sworn in as the first governor of New York.
 * July 31 – The U.S. Second Continental Congress passes a resolution that the services of Marquis de Lafayette "be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States."
 * August 2–23 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Stanwix.
 * August 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Oriskany – Loyalists gain a tactical victory over Patriots; Iroquois fight on both sides.
 * August 13–14 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Machias.
 * August 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bennington – British forces are defeated by American troops at Walloomsac, New York.
 * August 22
 * American Revolutionary War: Battle of Staten Island.
 * American Revolutionary War: Battle of Setauket.
 * September – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Henry.
 * September 1
 * John McKesson becomes the first Clerk of the New York State Assembly.
 * American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Henry.
 * September 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cooch's Bridge – In a minor skirmish in New Castle County, Delaware, the flag of the United States was flown in battle for the first time.
 * September 6 – George Washington held a council at the Hale-Byrnes House in Stanton, Delaware.
 * September 8
 * Drake's Regiment of Militia called up to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
 * Evans' Regiment of Militia called up at Exeter, New Hampshire.
 * September 9 – The 1st New York State Legislature meets.
 * September 11 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Brandywine: The British gain a major victory in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
 * September 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Clouds.
 * September 19 – American Revolutionary War: First Battle of Saratoga: Battle of Freeman's Farm – Patriot forces withstand a British attack at Saratoga, New York.
 * September 21 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Paoli.
 * September 22 – Wells' Regiment of Militia gets called up to Shelburne, Massachusetts.
 * September 26 – American Revolutionary War: British troops occupy Philadelphia.
 * September 27
 * Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the capital of the United States for one day.
 * Welch's Regiment of Militia gets called up to Candia, New Hampshire.

October–December

 * October
 * Rockbridge County, Virginia is established.
 * The Virginia General Assembly passed a law creating the Virginia Court of Chancery.
 * October 4 – American Revolution – Battle of Germantown: Troops under George Washington are repelled by British troops under Sir William Howe.
 * October 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery: British troops capture Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery (Hudson River) and are able to dismantle the Hudson River Chain.
 * October 7 – American Revolution – Second Battle of Saratoga: Battle of Bemis Heights: British General John Burgoyne is defeated by American troops.
 * October 16 – American Revolution: Burning of Kingston.
 * October 17 – American Revolution – Battle of Saratoga: British General John Burgoyne surrenders to the American troops.
 * October 18 – Wells' Regiment of Militia is disbanded.
 * October 20 – The 2nd Delaware General Assembly convenes succeeding the 1st.
 * October 22 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Red Bank.
 * October 29 – John Hancock leaves as the fourth President of the Continental Congress.
 * November 1 – Henry Laurens becomes the 5th President of the Continental Congress succeeding John Hancock.
 * November 8 – Welch's Regiment of Militia is disbanded.
 * November 15
 * American Revolution: After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation in the temporary American capital at York, Pennsylvania.
 * The second session of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 meet in New Bern, North Carolina and signs a law establishing the North Carolina Superior Court.
 * November 17 – The Articles of Confederation are submitted to the states for ratification.
 * November 25 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Gloucester
 * November 29 – San Jose, California is founded. It is the first pueblo in Spanish Alta California.
 * December 5–8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of White Marsh
 * December 11 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Matson's Ford
 * December 18 – The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving as a nation, marking the victory by the Americans over General John Burgoyne in the Battle of Saratoga in October.
 * December 19 – American Revolution: George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
 * December 20 – Morocco becomes the first country to recognize the independence of the United States.
 * December 24 – The second session of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 ends.

Dates unknown

 * In the St. Louis region, a brood of 13-year cicadas emerges at the same time as a large brood of 17-year cicadas.
 * Fort Trumbull is completed and named after Jonathan Trumbull.
 * John Milton becomes the first Georgia Secretary of State.
 * Artisan's House is built.
 * Hessian Barracks begins construction by the State of Maryland.
 * The Maryland Loyalists Battalion is raised.
 * Moultonborough Addition changes to New Hampton, New Hampshire and gets incorporated.
 * Fort Billingsport is built by troops from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
 * Fort Mercer is built.
 * Fort Nonsense is built in Morristown, New Jersey.
 * The first Middlebrook encampment takes place by George Washington and his troops.
 * The Council of Appointment is established by the New York Constitution.
 * The Council of Revision is established by the New York Constitution.
 * The New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments is established by the New York State Constitution of 1777.
 * Camden, Burke and Nash Counties, North Carolina are created.
 * Waightstill Avery becomes the first North Carolina Attorney General.
 * Washington County, North Carolina is founded (now Tennessee).
 * Colebrook Township, Pennsylvania is settled.
 * Wolf Township, Pennsylvania is settled.
 * The settlement now to be Lovell, Maine is settled.
 * Searles Hill Cemetery is built in Phillipston, Massachusetts.
 * The Springfield Armory is approved by George Washington.
 * Fluvanna and Patrick Henry Counties, Virginia are established.
 * Fort au Fer gets occupied by General John Burgoyne.

Ongoing

 * American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
 * Slavery in the United States

Births

 * January 1 – Micah Hawkins, music theater composer (died 1825)
 * March 17 – Roger Brooke Taney, politician, lawyer and judge (died 1864)
 * April 12 – Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1806-1807, 1810-1811, 1831-1842 & 1849-1852 (died 1852)
 * April 30 – Carl Gauss, Famous Mathematician from Brunswick, Germany (died 1855)
 * June 12 – Robert Clark, politician (died 1837)
 * June 23 – Frederick Bates, politician (died 1825)
 * July – Thomas Clayton, U.S. Senator from Delaware 1824-1827 & 1837-1847 (died 1854)
 * August 12 – George Wolf, politician (died 1840)
 * October 16
 * Levi Barber, surveyor, court administrator, banker and legislator (died 1833)
 * Lorenzo Dow, Methodist preacher (died 1834)
 * November 14 – Nathaniel Claiborne, politician (died 1859)
 * November 24 – Samuel Butts, militia officer (killed in action 1814)
 * December 10 – William Conner, trader and politician (died 1855)
 * Date unknown
 * William Bellinger Bulloch, U.S. Senator from Georgia in 1813 (died 1852)
 * Thomas Day, Connecticut judge (died 1855)
 * Jesse B. Thomas, U.S. Senator from Illinois 1818-1829 (died 1853)

Deaths

 * January 3 – William Leslie, British Army captain, killed at Battle of Princeton (born 1751 in Scotland)
 * January 12 – Hugh Mercer, Continental Army brigadier general and physician, mortally wounded at Battle of Princeton (born 1726 in Scotland)
 * February 19 – Seth Pomeroy, gunsmith and soldier (born 1706)
 * May 19 – Button Gwinnett, signatory of the Declaration of Independence, 2nd Governor of Georgia in 1777 (born 1735 in Great Britain)
 * August 11 – William Tennent III, Presbyterian pastor and patriot (born 1740)
 * September 22 – John Bartram, botanist, horticulturalist and explorer (born 1699)
 * October 4 – Francis Nash, Continental Army brigadier general, mortally wounded at Battle of Germantown (born c.1742)
 * October 7 – Simon Fraser, British Army general, killed in Battle of Bemis Heights (born 1729 in Scotland)
 * November 10 – Cornstalk (Hokoleskwa), Shawnee chief, murdered (born c.1720)