1779

1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar).

The Iron Bridge is completed across the River Severn in Shropshire; the first all cast-iron bridge ever constructed.
Boulton and Watt's Smethwick Engine, now the oldest working engine in the world, is brought into service.
The city of Tampere is founded in Finland.

January 9 - British troops surrender to the Marathas in Wadgaon, India, and are forced to return all terrorities acquired since 1773.
January 22 - American Revolutionary War: Claudius Smith is hanged at Goshen, Orange County, New York for supposed acts of terrorism upon the people of the surrounding communities.
January 29 - After a second petition for partition from its residents, the North Carolina General Assembly abolishes Bute County, North Carolina (established 1764) by dividing it and naming the northern portion Warren County (for Revolutionary War hero Joseph Warren) and the southern portion Franklin County (for Benjamin Franklin). The General Assembly also establishes Warrenton (also named for Joseph Warren) to be the county seat of Warren County and Louisburg (named for Louis XVI of France) to be the county seat of Franklin County.

May 13 - War of Bavarian Succession: Russian and French mediators at the Congress of Teschen negotiate an end to the war. In the agreement Austria receives a part of its territory that was taken from them (the Inn District).

July 16 - American Revolutionary War: United States forces led by General Anthony Wayne capture Stony Point, New York from British troops.
July 22 - Goshen Militia destroyed by Joseph Brant's forces at the Battle of Minisink.
July 24 - American Revolutionary War: American forces led by Commodore Dudley Saltonstall launched the Penobscot Expedition in what is now Castine, Maine, resulting in the worst naval defeat in U.S. history until Pearl Harbor.

November 2 - The North Carolina General Assembly carves a new county from Dobbs County, North Carolina and names it Wayne County in honor of United States General Anthony Wayne.