Christopher Columbus's expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean, specifically in The Bahamas. The explorer believes he has reached South Asia

Navigator João Rodrigues Cabrilho of Portugal arrives at what is now San Diego, California, United States.

The ''Susan Constant'', the ''Godspeed'', and the ''Discovery'' depart England carrying settlers who found, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.

A vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony establishes the first college in what would become the United States, today known as Harvard University.

Georgeana, Massachusetts (now known as York, Maine), becomes the first incorporated city in the United States.

The first Masonic Grand Lodge in the future United States is constituted in Massachusetts.

Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, is opened by Benjamin Franklin.

Battle of the Plains of Abraham: British defeat French near Quebec City in the Seven Years' War, known in the United States as the French and Indian War.

Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including a black man named Crispus Attucks, and a boy, are killed by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War five years later.

South Carolina becomes the first American colony to declare its independence from Great Britain and set up its own government.

The Battle of Long Island: in what is now Brooklyn, New York, British forces under General William Howe defeat Americans under General George Washington.

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 HMS ''Eagle'' in New York Harbor.

The Continental Congress officially names its new union of sovereign states the United States.

American Revolutionary War: Hessian mercenaries capture Fort Washington from the Patriots.

American Revolution: The United Provinces (Low Countries) recognize the independence of the United States.

In the Apollo Room of the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia, students from the College of William and Mary meet for the first time founding Phi Beta Kappa, the first scholastic fraternity in the United States.

American Revolutionary War: American forces under the command of George Washington repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek near Trenton, New Jersey

Vermont becomes the first American territory to abolish slavery.

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."

American Revolutionary War: The Americans led by General John Stark rout British and Brunswick troops under Friedrich Baum at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the capital of the United States, for one day.

The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the Americans over General John Burgoyne in the Battle of Saratoga in October.

American Revolutionary War: In Paris the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce are signed by the United States and France signaling official recognition of the new republic.

The Continental Congress votes to ratify both the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance with France. The two treaties are the first entered into by the United States government.

The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed. It is the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe (the Lenape or Delaware Indians).

The Continental Congress passes the first budget of the United States.

New England's Dark Day: A combination of thick smoke and heavy cloud cover causes complete darkness to fall on Eastern Canada and the New England area of the United States at 10:30 A.M.

American Revolution: British Major John André is arrested as a spy by American soldiers exposing Benedict Arnold's change of sides.

American Revolutionary War: Battle of Kings Mountain American Patriot militia defeat Loyalist irregulars led by British colonel Patrick Ferguson in South Carolina.

American forces backed by a French fleet begin the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, during the American Revolutionary War.

John Adams secures the Dutch Republic's recognition of the United States as an independent government. The house which he had purchased in The Hague, Netherlands becomes the first American embassy.

American privateers attack Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

American Revolutionary War: Treaty of Paris — In Paris, representatives from the United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain sign preliminary peace articles (later formalized as the 1783 Treaty of Paris).

American Revolutionary War: Spain recognizes United States independence.

First United Empire Loyalists reach Parrtown (later called Saint John), New Brunswick, Canada after leaving the United States.

American Revolutionary War: the war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris by the United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Western North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee) declares itself an independent state under the name of Franklin; it wasn’t accepted into the United States, and only lasted for four years.

Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries travel from Dover, England, to Calais, France, in a gas balloon.

The oldest musical organization in the United States is founded as the Stoughton Musical Society.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates convene a Constitutional Convention to write a new Constitution for the United States; George Washington presides.