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Slave Trade Abolished
Free African American community of Philadelphia petitions US Congress to abolish the slave trade -
Electric Battery Discovered
Alessandro Volta reports his discovery of the electric battery in a letter to Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London -
Library of Congress
The United States Library of Congress is founded -
Live in White House
Free African American community of Philadelphia petitions US Congress to abolish the slave trade -
Thomas Jefferson becomes President
Thomas Jefferson swore into office as the 3rd President of the United States. -
1st Comic Book
1st comic book "The Wasp" is published in Hudson, New York criticizing Republican politicians -
Hiati
Haiti declares independence from France; first black nation to gain freedom from European colonial rule. -
Steamboat Service Opened
Robert Fulton opened the first commerical steamboat service -
Importation of Slaves Outlawed
The importation of slaves is outlawed, although between 1808 and 1860, more than 250,000 slaves were illegally imported. -
James Madison becomes President
James Madison swore into office as the 4th President of the United States. -
First Steam Powered Ferry
The first steam-powered ferry service between New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey is started on John Steven's ship, the Juliana. -
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War of 1812
Began with differing interests between America and Britain. Tensions had risen between the two during the Anglo-French Wars. Another big reason was the British had impressed nearly 6,000 American sailors to fight on their side during their fight against the French. The Treaty of Ghent officially ended the war but fighting continued until January of 1815. -
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie is won by the American navy when Commodore Perry's fleet defeats the ships of British Captain Robert Barclay. This victory allows U.S. forces to take control of the majority of the Old Northwest and lake region. -
Napoleon Exiled
French defeated by allies (Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Portugal) in War of Liberation. Napoleon exiled to Elba, off Italian coast. Bourbon king Louis XVIII takes French throne -
James Monroe becomes President
James Monroe swore into office as the 5th President of the United States. -
Twenty Start US Flag
The flag of the United States is officially adopted by Congress with the configuration of thirteen red and white stripes and one star for each state in the union. At the time of adoption, with the most recent addition of Mississippi, the flag had twenty stars -
First Financial Crisis
The first financial crises in the United States, the Panic of 1819, occurs, leading to foreclosures, bank failures, and unemployment. Several causes have been identified, including the heavy amount of borrowing by the government to finance the War of 1812, as well as the tightening of credit by the Second Bank of the U.S. in response to risky lending practices by wildcat banks in the west. -
Adam-Onis Treaty of 1819
Granted Florida to the United States from the Spanish. -
Missouri Compromise
Developed by Jesse Thomas and Henry Clay, the Compromise settled a dispute between the North and the South by granting Missouri as a slave state, making Maine a free state, and dividing the rest of the Lousiana purchase along the 36°30' latitude line. -
Mexico's Independence
Mexico gains independence from Spain. -
First Fraternity
The first fraternity in the United States is begun, Chi Phi, at Princeton University -
John Quincy Adams becomes President
John Quincy Adams swore into office as the 6th President of the United States. -
Erie Canal Opened
New York completed the construction of the Erie Canal, allowing shipments to be made by water between the Great Lakes region and eastern cities. -
Slavery Abolished in New York City
In New York State, slavery is legally abolished. -
American Dictionary
The copyright for The American Dictionary of the English Language is registered and the book published that year by Noah Webster. -
Andrew Jackson becomes President
Andrew Jackson swore into office as the 7th President of the United States. -
The Typewriter
William Austin Burt, of the United States, invents and patents the typewriter, at the time called the typographer. -
Mechanical Reaper
Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper improving agriculture labor. -
First Bank Robbery
March 19, 1831 - The first bank robbery in United States history occurs at the City Bank of New York. Edward Smith robbed the Wall Street bank of $245,000. He would be caught and convicted of the crime with sentencing of five years in Sing Sing prison -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
The most deadly slave rebellion in the South. Turner and a band of slaves killed about 57 whites on 11 different farms in Southampton County, VA. -
Henry Blair
Henry Blair receives the second patent awarded to an African American when he patents a corn planter. -
Steel Bladed Plow
John Deere's invention of the steel bladed plow improved work in the fields by providing the laborers with a strong and much more efficient tool. -
Trail of Tears
Indians, mostly Cherokee, forced to travel West. The result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. -
Antarctica
Antarctica is claimed for the United States when Captain Charles Wilkes circumnavigates the continent and claims Wilkes Land for the nation -
Telegraph Line
Samuel Morse encouraged Congress to lay a telegraph line from D.C. to Baltimore to open up more communication opportunities. -
Manifest Destiny
The idea that America had the right to expand their borders developed the most during this year. -
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Mexican-American War
Mexico refused to let America purchase any of their lands. American victory at the end of the war resulted in the winning of serveral large territories, including California. -
First Female Doctor
The first woman doctor in the United States, Elizabeth Blackwell, is granted her degree by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York -
First World's Fair
The United States of America participates in the opening ceremony of the first World's Fair in history, the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, in the Crystal Palace designed by Joseph Paxton, in Hyde Park, London, England. The world's fair becomes the first major gathering of the works of nations in one location under the idea of Prince Albert and support of Queen Victoria. -
First Elevator
The first elevator is installed by Elisha Otis on Broadway in New York City. -
Pony Express
The Pony Express begins. Overland mail between Sacramento, California and St. Joseph's, Missouri is carried over the Oregon Trail for eighteen months by this series of riders on horseback, then rendered obsolete when the transcontinental telegraph is completed. Service ended on October 24, 1861 -
Abraham Lincoln Becomes President
Abraham Lincoln swore into office as the 16th President of the United States. -
Period: to
Civil War
The country divided between the views of slavery between the North and South -
The Gettysburg Address
November 19, 1863 - "Four score and seven years ago," began what many perceive as the best speech in American history, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln in the town cemetery overlooking the fields of Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Address, only 272 words long and taking about two minutes to speak, captured the essence of the Civil War as both sacrifice and inspiration. -
The Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, takes effect