1781

Year 1781 () was a (link will display the full calendar) of the  (or a  of the 11-day slower ).

January - June

 * - : is burned by British naval forces led by.
 * - In the the British beat the French in what was technically the last battle fought in the British Islands (coming after the Battle of Culloden in 1745). It was the last attempt by France to invade Jersey militarily.
 * - American Revolution: Americans under defeat British forces at the.
 * - ratified by 13th state,.
 * January -, later Prime Minister, enters Parliament.
 * -  implements the.
 * - Sir discovers the  . Originally he calls it Georgium Sidus (George's Star) in honour of King  of.
 * - American Revolution: American General loses  to British.

July - December

 * - French  executed in  prison in England for
 * - American Revolution: Skirmish at the : A Tory force under attacks 's smaller force of  at Alston's home in,  (in present day , North Carolina).  Alston's troops surrender after Fanning's men attempt to ram the house with a cart of burning straw.
 * - American Revolution: French fleet under enters, cutting British General  off from escape by sea.
 * -  is founded as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Los Ángeles de Porciuncula (City of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula) by a group of 44  settlers.
 * - American Revolution: British fleet under arrives and fights de Grasse, but to no effect.
 * - American Revolution: The British army attacks a fort in which became known as the.
 * - American Revolution: Graves gives up trying to break through the now-reinforced French fleet and returns to, leaving Cornwallis to his fate.
 * - American Revolution: Following the, General surrenders to General  at , ending the armed struggle of the American Revolution.
 * - Patent of Tolerance, providing limited, was approved in.
 * - is elected.
 * - The slave ship dumps its living cargo into the sea in order to claim insurance.
 * - officially founds the (AOD) in,.
 * - French and British fleets fight in the.

Undated

 * is chartered by the.
 * publishes final catalog of s.
 * discovers.
 * publishes .
 * formulates.
 * Reverend publishes General History of Connecticut, using the term  for the first time.
 * selected as music teacher of Princess of Württemberg over.
 * establishes.
 * Washington Academy later.

Births

 * -, German writer (d. )
 * -, German writer (d. )
 * -, French physician and inventor (d. )
 * -, American educator and philanthropist (d. )
 * -, German architect and painter (d. )
 * -, Hindu Spiritual Leader (d. )
 * -, English engineer (d. )
 * -, French mathematician and physicist (d. )
 * , English founder of Singapore (d. )
 * , American naval officer (d. )
 * -, Italian composer (d. )
 * -, French nobleman, son of Napoleon's wife (d. )
 * -, Austrian music publisher, editor, and composer (d. )
 * -, U.S. Navy officer (d. )
 * -, English writer (d. )
 * -, German jurist (d. )
 * -, Venezuelan poet, lawmaker, teacher, philosopher and sociologist (d. )
 * -, Scottish adventurer and Australian pioneer (d. )
 * - Sir, Scottish physicist (d. )
 * date unknown
 * , minister (d. )
 * King of the Zulu people. (d. circa 22 September 1828)
 * King of the Zulu people. (d. circa 22 September 1828)


 * See also .

Deaths

 * -, English Catholic prelate (b. )
 * -, queen regent of Portugal (b. )
 * -, German author and philosopher (b. )
 * -, American signer of the Declaration of Independence
 * -, English critic (b. )
 * -, French statesman and economist (b. )
 * -, British general (b. )
 * -, American delegate to the Continental Congress (b. )
 * -, English poet (b. )
 * -, Italian physicist (b. )
 * -, Spanish missionary (killed) (b. )
 * -, Swiss-born Continental Congressman (b. )
 * -, British diplomat and statesman (b. )
 * -, British naval officer (b. )
 * -, German poet (b. )
 * date unknown -, Flemish sculptor (b. )


 * See also .