1772
| Years: 1769 1770 1771 – 1772 – 1773 1774 1775 | |
| Decades: 1740s 1750s 1760s – 1770s – 1780s 1790s 1800s | |
| Centuries: 17th century – 18th century – 19th century 1772 in topic: Lists of leaders: | |
1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar).
Events
- February 17 – First partition of Poland, by Russia and Prussia, later including Austria
- May – Watauga Association formed in East Tennessee as the first independent Anglo-American government.
- June 9 – British vessel Gaspee is burned off of Rhode Island.
- August 5 – First Partition of Poland begins.
- August 21 – The coup d'etat by King Gustav III is completed by adopting a new Constitution, ending half a century of parliamentary rule in Sweden and making him an enlightened despot.
- September 1 – Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa founded in San Luis Obispo, California.
- November 2 – American Revolutionary War: Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren form the first Committee of Correspondence.
Births
- March 10 – Friedrich von Schlegel, German poet (d. 1829)
- April 7 – Charles Fourier, French philosopher (d. 1837)
- April 19 – David Ricardo, British economist (d. 1823)
- May 2 – Novalis, German poet (d. 1801)
- May 20 – William Congreve, British rocket pioneer (d. 1828)
- May 22 – Ram Mohan Roy, Hindu religious and social reformer (d. 1833)
- June 6 – Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, wife of Emperor Francis II
- August 2 – Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc d'Enghien (d. 1804)
- August 15 – Johann Nepomuk Mälzel, German inventor (d. 1838)
- August 24 – King William I of the Netherlands (d. 1843)
- October 21 – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet and philosopher, (d. 1834)
- November 23 – Duke Augustus of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
- Tuanku Imam Bonjol, Indonesian religious and military leader (d. 1864)
Deaths
- February 8 – Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales (b. 1719)
- March 26 – Charles Pinot Duclos, French writer (b. 1704)
- March 29 – Emanuel Swedenborg, Swedish philosopher and mathematician (b. 1668)
- September 30 – James Brindley, British canal builder (b. 1716)
- October 7 – John Woolman, American Quaker (b. 1720)
- Jean Joseph de Mondonville, French violinist and composer (b. 1711)
- William Borlase, English antiquary (b. 1695)
- Louis Claude Daquin, French composer (b. 1694)
- Samuel Scott, English painter (b. 1702)
- Georg Reutter, Austrian composer (b. 1708)
- Madhavrao Peshwa, ruler of India (b. 1745)
Categories: 1772