Events
- 18 January - The Third Pacific expedition of James Cook, with ships HMS Resolution (1771) and HMS Discovery (1774), first views Oahu then Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".
- 6 February - American Revolutionary War: Britain declares war on France, for aiding the Americans.
- 17 & 23 April - American Revolutionary War: John Paul Jones in USS Ranger (1777) attempts to raid Whitehaven.
- 24 April - American Revolutionary War: North Channel Naval Duel: John Paul Jones in USS Ranger captures HMS Drake (1777) in the North Channel.
- May - HMS Victory is commissioned and remains in active service for the following 32 years, most notably at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805).
- 16 June - American Revolutionary War: Spain declares war on Britain.
- 28 June - American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Monmouth takes place in Monmouth, New Jersey.
- 3 July - American Revolutionary War: The Wyoming Valley battle and massacre takes place near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, ending in a defeat of the local colonists.
- 10 July - American Revolutionary War: Louis XVI of France declares war on Great Britain.
- 27 July - American Revolution: First Battle of Ushant - British and French fleets fight to a standoff.
- September - First St. Leger Stakes horse race held at its present location, Town Moor, Doncaster.
- 26 November - In the Hawaiian Islands, James Cook becomes the first European to discover Maui.
Read more about this topic: 1778 In Great Britain
Famous quotes containing the word events:
“At all events there is in Brooklyn
something that makes me feel at home.”
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972)
“The great events of life often leave one unmoved; they pass out of consciousness, and, when one thinks of them, become unreal. Even the scarlet flowers of passion seem to grow in the same meadow as the poppies of oblivion.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“The return of the asymmetrical Saturday was one of those small events that were interior, local, almost civic and which, in tranquil lives and closed societies, create a sort of national bond and become the favorite theme of conversation, of jokes and of stories exaggerated with pleasure: it would have been a ready- made seed for a legendary cycle, had any of us leanings toward the epic.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)