June 17 » Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the first European to reach the island.
July 3 » Norway's oldest newspaper still in print, Adresseavisen, is founded and the first edition is published.
July 3 » Pitcairn Island is discovered by Midshipman Robert Pitcairn on an expeditionary voyage commanded by Philip Carteret.
August 26 » Jesuits all over Chile are arrested as the Spanish Empire suppresses the Society of Jesus.
October 11 » Surveying for the Mason–Dixon line separating Maryland from Pennsylvania is completed.
Day of death May 9, 1776
The temperature on May 9, 1776 was about 9.0 °C. Wind direction mainly north-northwest. Weather type: omtrent helder. Special wheather fenomena: noorderlicht. Source: KNMI
March 2 » American Revolutionary War: Patriot militia units arrest the Royal Governor of Georgia James Wright and attempt to prevent capture of supply ships in the Battle of the Rice Boats.
March 28 » Juan Bautista de Anza finds the site for the Presidio of San Francisco.
April 12 » American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain.
June 11 » The Continental Congress appoints Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston to the Committee of Five to draft a declaration of independence.
June 28 » American Revolutionary War: Thomas Hickey, Continental Army private and bodyguard to General George Washington, is hanged for mutiny and sedition.
November 29 » American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia, comes to an end with the arrival of British reinforcements.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: R. Dirks, "Family tree Dirks", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-dirks/I528.php : accessed March 17, 2026), "Gerd Dirks (1767-1776)".
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