- Jan 22 Spain cedes Falkland Islands to Britain
King Gustav III
Feb 12 Gustav III becomes the King of Sweden after the death of predecessor Adolf Frederick
Messier Presents his List
Feb 16 French astronomer Charles Messier presents his original list of 45 M-objects to French Academy
- Feb 19 French astronomer Charles Messier adds M46-M49 to his catalog (galactic clusters in Puppis & Hydra & galaxy in Virgo)
- May 7 Samuel Hearne explores Copper Mine River of Canada
- May 16 The Battle of Alamance, a pre-American Revolutionary War battle between local militia and a group of rebels called "The Regulators", occurs in present-day Alamance County, North Carolina.
Armida
Jun 2 "Armida", an operatic 'dramma per musica' by Antonio Salieri debuts at the Vienna Burgtheater
Cook Returns from First Voyage
Jul 12 HMS Endeavour captained by James Cook, with Joseph Banks aboard, returns from its first voyage to the Pacific after two years
Le Fils Naturel
Sep 26 Denis Diderot's play "Le Fils naturel" premieres in Paris
Authors
Dictators
Explorers
Outlaws
Queens
Spies